Jimoh Ibrahim, Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), says President Bola Tinubu will secure a permanent seat on the UN security council for the country.
Ibrahim spoke on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television.
The UN security council comprises five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—collectively known as the P5. They each have the power to veto any substantive resolution.
The council also has 10 non-permanent members, who serve two-year terms.
Nigeria’s last stint as a non-permanent member of the UN security council was from 2014 to 2015, marking its fifth term on the body.
However, the West African nation has long sought a permanent seat on the security council, arguing that its population size, economy strength, and contributions to UN peacekeeping missions justify such presentation.
Ibrahim said Nigeria’s absence from the council’s permanent membership bothers Tinubu.
“His (Tinubu) major argument is that why is it that United Nations did not admit any African country into the permanent seat of the security council. This worries him a lot,” he said.
“His speeches that he delivered pointed to the fact that he was not happy with the idea of UN not admitting Africa, particularly Nigeria, to the security council.”
The diplomat said the council’s establishment 80 years ago predated the independence of many African countries, including Nigeria, making its rules difficult to change.
However, he expressed hope that ongoing negotiations would pave the way for reforms.
The good news is I can assure you that President Tinubu will secure a security council seat very soon,” Ibrahim said.
Ibrahim said Tinubu had also raised the issue with Ghanaian President John Mahama.
Mahama successfully championed efforts that led to the UN declaring the transatlantic slave trade one of the gravest crimes against humanity.
