Amid widespread reports that Nigeria was “neglected” in the 2024 United Nations Human Rights Council elections, the Office of the President revealed on Sunday that the country will not stand for the 2025-2027 term.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Assistant to the President on Information and Strategy, clarified in a statement on Sunday that Nigeria is not seeking re-election in the October 9 elections.
This echoes similar claims in 2023, when Nigerian news outlets reported that the country had won three votes in an election in which it did not participate.
Onanuga explained that the votes attributed to Nigeria in a secret ballot were likely a mistake by some member states.
“Nigeria was not on the ballot in this election. Whatever votes were recorded for Nigeria were likely cast in error by countries who thought we were running,” he said. emphasized.
Mr. Onanuga highlighted Nigeria’s role in regional diplomacy, noting that African countries support fellow ECOWAS members Benin and Gambia for the 2025-2027 term.
He said Nigeria, as Africa’s diplomatic leader, chose to support these favored candidates in their efforts to develop collective African representation on the world stage.
Mr. Onanuga explained that at the United Nations General Assembly on October 9, 2024, 18 countries were elected to fill the seats on the Council, with no candidate from Nigeria.
The selected members include Benin, Bolivia, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Gambia, Iceland and Kenya, according to the statement.
Noting that the 47-member Human Rights Council plays an important role in promoting and protecting human rights globally, the Office of the President notes that the Human Rights Council, which is comprised of 47 member states, plays an important role in promoting and protecting human rights globally, He said new member states would join in place of the country.
Specifically, in the African Regional Group, Benin, Gambia, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ethiopia secured effective seats with no resistance, as they fielded only five candidates for five vacancies.
Nigeria previously held the seat but chose not to participate in this election cycle.
The Presidency said President Bola Tinubu’s administration has prioritized building a voice for African unity in the international framework and that this strategic choice reflects Nigeria’s continued leadership in African diplomacy. insisted.
Nigeria maintained that even if it does not hold a seat on the Human Rights Council during the current term, it is ensuring that Africa’s interests are fully represented by supporting its favored candidates.
The statement also noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised the media to verify reports with reliable sources before rushing to publish false information.
He said no attempt was made to check the facts with the Nigerian mission in New York or the ministry before the misleading article was published.
“Nigerians should avoid being too quick to drag the country’s name into the mud on the international stage,” Onanuga said. It’s important,” he added.
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