Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has
advocated a permanent membership status for Nigeria
in the Security Council of the United Nations.
According to him, the country deserved it because of
its contributions to international peace keeping, the
size of its population and economy.
Delivering a keynote address Wednesday at the Africa
launch of the Global Commission Report, at the
International Conference Centre in Abuja, Prof.
Osinbajo said ‘’Nigeria fully shares the views
expressed in the Report, that the United Nation’
Security Council should be expanded including the call
in the Report for restraint on the use of veto by the five
permanent members of the Council.’’
He continued that ‘’in addition, we take the position
based on our peacekeeping role in the United Nations,
the size of our economy, and the fact that we have the
largest population in the continent to say that Nigeria
deserves a permanent status in the Security Council’’.
The Vice President was of the view that since Africa is
the only continent without a permanent seat in the UN
Security Council, Nigeria has the strongest profile to
represent Africa and therefore balance the membership
composition of the Council.
Speaking on the issue of good governance, the Vice
President affirmed that ‘’it is clear that the crisis of
global governance has deeply contributed to and
continues to engender insecurity, corruption, injustice,
insurgency, violent extremism, terrorism, piracy,
cyber-crime, underdevelopment, climate change fears
among many vices.’’
Concerned that Africa is at the centre of this crisis,
Prof. Osinbajo stated that ‘’for instance, the Report
highlighted the issue of intersection between justice
and insecurity. It opens up the question of the place of
social justice in ensuring security’’.
He added that ‘’there are those who believe that the
absence of social justice in parts of our continent is
partially responsible for the insecurity experienced in
many of the countries in this continent’’.
According to the Vice President, the way out of crisis in
Africa was for the leaders to treat their people not as
mere statistics but with the respect and human dignity
they deserve, explaining that ‘’this can only be reflected
by government in the provision of social services and
giving opportunities to their peoples.’’
He said “injustices in one state leads to instability or
insecurity in neighboring states even if only on account
of economic consequences or movement of refugees.
Ultimately, no nation is free of the consequences of
injustice anywhere.’’
Regarding trans-border problems, Prof. Osinbajo said
‘’Nigeria fully shares the view that no one state or
states can effectively deal with such challenges. For us
as a nation and government, the issue of security,
justice and human rights, climate change and
sustainable good governance constitute the
cornerstone of responsibility we owe our people.’’
He, therefore, disclosed that such a realization
‘’explains why the Federal Government of Nigeria is
meticulously re-assessing the entire governance
question with the hope of putting in place structures
and institutions that can sustain Nigeria in confronting
multitudes of challenges identified in the report.’’
Good governance, the Vice President, averred is the
panacea to the challenges confronting our world and
can only be realized by a determined and visionary
leader, with the active cooperation of all segments of
the society.
The Vice President, who was the event’s Special Guest
of Honour, launched the Report at the impressive
gathering chaired by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe,
one time Secretary to the Government to the
Federation.
Prof. Osinbajo used the occasion to laud the
commitment and vision of Madeleine K. Albright,
former United States Secretary of State and particularly
Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof.
Ibrahim Gambari, both Co-Chairs of the Commission
that produced the Report for their pursuit of global
security, justice and governance.
In his presentation of the Report, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari
underscored the significance of global alliance for
security, justice and good governance especially for
Africa as a continent.
He also supported the Vice President’s call for a
permanent Security Council membership status for
Nigeria.
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