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The development raises questions whether Nigeria did not weaken its strength in the bank by supporting the outgoing president, Paul D. Wolfowitz at the peak of corruption charges against him.
With the resignation of Wolfowitz, speculations have been rife as to potential replacements including Nigeria's former Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
But so far only Zoellick's nomination has been officially made for that office.
The U.S. nominee normally becomes the president. That however does not preclude any other member-country in the World Bank from nominating a candidate. There are 185 member-countries in the World Bank.
Zoellick will be visiting Ghana, Ethiopia and South Africa, but not Nigeria. Incidentally, Zoellick is not new to Nigeria both as former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and also a peace negotiator during the U.S.-inspired Darfur Peace Agreement negotiations in Abuja, which he chaired.
Informed sources say Nigeria's overt support for Wolfowitz, who was accused of corruption, had made a stopover in Nigeria by the U.S. nominee out of the question.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, actively campaigned in support of Wolfowitz when the World Bank president was battling against corruption charges. Ribadu had authored a very strong opinion article in the New York Times calling for Wolfowitz's retention.
The new World Bank Vice President for Africa, Nigeria's Oby Ezekwesili, who was tipped by Wolfowitz and has just settled down on the job, has however remained completely withdrawn from the matter.
The U.S. nominee, who is expected to be the only candidate for the position is, however, visiting Ghana and Ethiopia, two countries considered not as influential in the continent compared with Nigeria, even though Ghana is the current chairperson of the African Union.
A week ago, the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors, which will eventually pick a new president, acknowledged the nomination of Zoellick as World Bank President, routed through an Executive Director of the Bank representing the U.S.
The Bank has 24 executive directors representing the 185 countries who are members of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development- aka World Bank.
Of the 24 Executive Directors, four are Africans, two of whom are substantial and the other two alternates. They are Mulu Ketsela from Ethiopia and Louis Phillippe Seng from Mauritius, with two alternates being Agapito Mendes Dias, from Sao Tome and Principe, and Mathias Sinamenye from Burundi.
The Board's statement said the "24 directors representing 185 member countries looks forward to holding discussions with Mr. Zoellick as part of the selection process."
Zoellick is also Vice Chairman of U.S. major Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs, a position he has now relinquished. He is expected to replace Wolfowitz who resigned last month amid an ethics scandal involving a high-paid promotion for his girlfriend.
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