ABUJA (Office of the Vice President Report) Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has advocated a permanent membership status for Nigeria in the Security Council of the United Nations, stating that the country deserves this because of its contributions to international peace – keeping, the size of its population and economy.
While delivering a keynote address on Wednesday September 9, 2015 as the Special Guest of Honour at the Africa launch of the “Global Commission Report on Confronting the Crisis of Global Governance” chaired by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babagana Kingibe at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, Yemi Osinbajo said that Nigeria fully shares the views expressed in the report; demanding that the United Nations 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.
“In addition, we take the position based on our peace-keeping 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,” he requested.
The Vice President expressed 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 the crisis of global governance has deeply contributed to and continues to engender insecurity, corruption, injustice, insurgency, violent extremism, terrorism, piracy, cyber-crime, underdevelopment and climate change fears among many vices.
He also espoused on the concern that Africa is at the centre of the identified crisis, noting that the report highlighted the issue of intersection between justice and insecurity; questioning the place of social justice in ensuring security. He added that some people believe that the absence of social justice in parts of the continent is partially responsible for the insecurity experienced in many countries of the continent.
According to the Vice President, the way out of crisis in Africa is 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 of opportunities to their peoples. He further opined that injustices in one state leads to instability or insecurity in neighboring states, even on account of economic consequences or movement of refugees. Adding, no nation is free of the consequences of injustice anywhere.
Reflecting on trans-border problems, Yemi Osinbajo observed that Nigeria fully shares the view that no one state or states can effectively deal with such challenges. He added that for Nigeria as a nation and government, the issue of security, justice and human rights, climate change and sustainable good governance constitute the cornerstone of responsibility which the government owes the people.
He disclosed that such a realization explains why the Nigerian Government is meticulously re-assessing the entire governance question with the hope of putting in place structures and institutions that can sustain Nigeria in confronting the multitude of challenges identified in the report. ‘Good governance, the Vice President averred is the panacea to the challenges confronting the 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 at the event launched the report, lauding the commitment and vision of the former United States Secretary of State, Madeleine K. Albright and Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari (Prof), who were co-chairs of the commission that produced the report for their pursuit of global security, justice and governance.
In his presentation of the report, 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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