The presidency has dismissed claims that Nigeria was snubbed during the recent United Nations Human Rights Council elections, explaining that the country’s absence from the final list was due to diplomatic strategy rather than a deliberate exclusion.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the government set the record straight.

Titled “Nigeria and the 2024 UN Human Rights Council Elections: Setting the Record Straight,” the statement emphasised that Nigeria did not stand as a candidate in the election.

Onanuga clarified that “Nigeria was not snubbed in this election, as some reports have falsely claimed. The country did not stand as a candidate for this cycle, just as it did not in 2023.

Any vote recorded for Nigeria in the secret balloting was cast in error by countries that mistakenly thought Nigeria was on the ballot.”

On October 9, 2024, the UN General Assembly elected 18 new members to the Human Rights Council for the 2025–2027 term.

The elected countries include Benin, Bolivia, Colombia, Cyprus, Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Gambia, Iceland, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Mexico, North Macedonia, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and Thailand.

According to Onanuga, the African regional group endorsed candidates such as Benin, Gambia, Kenya, DRC, and Ethiopia filled the five available seats.

There was no competition in the African group, as the number of candidates matched the available seats,” he explained.

Onanuga also highlighted Nigeria’s decision to focus on supporting endorsed African candidates.

He said, “Nigeria’s leadership on the continent remains unwavering, and the country’s strategic choice to back the endorsed candidates was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to fostering African unity.

This aligns with our diplomatic tradition of ensuring Africa speaks with a united voice on the global stage.”

The statement further called on the media to verify their information before publication, criticizing the spread of false reports.

“The media should cross-check their information before rushing to press. There was no sign this was done with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or our country’s mission in New York. As Nigerians, we should not be quick to disparage or drag our country, especially on international matters,” Onanuga cautioned.

The Human Rights Council, an intergovernmental body of 47 States, is tasked with promoting and protecting human rights globally.

The newly elected members will serve three-year terms starting January 1, 2025, replacing outgoing members such as Argentina, Cameroon, Eritrea, India, and Somalia, among others.