Hell Hath No Fury Like Europa (or Lamy) Scorned: Why the EU May Have Subverted the DG Selection Process

One of the issues I didn't address in my previous posts on the irregularities alleged by Kenya in the WTO DG selection process, is why the EU would want to subvert the process to keep African candidates out of the race.  The reason is that I didn't really have a robust theory or hypothesis.  However, a European who has read my posts (pro-EU, an expert in EU external relations, and a policy adviser at the highest levels on EU issues) has suggested to me that what is likely going on is that the EU is punishing Africa for being recalcitrant in relation to the Economic Partnership Agreements that Europe has been trying to conclude on the continent. The individual in question said that one cannot underestimate the fury in Brussels as a result of African states not wanting to go along with these initiatives.  Another angle the expert mentioned was that the EPAs were a pet project of Pascal Lamy when he was DG Trade, and that he had a lot of credibility invested in them.  In sum:  the revenge of a scorned suitor.  How awful if it really did come down to this.