Nigeria Denies Being Snubbed in UN Human Rights Council Elections

A total of 18 members were elected via secret ballot to the Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term replacing members whose terms of office are set to expire on December 31, 2024.

The newly elected members will serve for a three-year period and will join other countries across the world as members of the Council — an intergovernmental body within the UN system consisting of 47 States which is responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.

In Nigeria, several discussions have flooded the media space alleging that the country was ‘snubbed’ as it failed to secure a spot in the council.

The Nigerian Television Authority, (NTA) reports that five countries – Benin, Gambia, Kenya, DRC, and Ethiopia were officially endorsed by the African continent for the position and all five available seats were duly secured.

The report noted that contrary to information circulating, Nigeria was not snubbed in the election as there were no competition from the African regional bloc, as the continent fielded the same number of candidates as available seats.

“West African regional bloc endorsed Benin and Gambia, both members of ECOWAS, for the 2025-2027 term, to serve in the UN Human Rights Council.”

“Any vote recorded for Nigeria in the secret balloting was cast in error by countries that mistakenly thought Nigeria was on the ballot.” Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga noted.

The election of these countries has however, sparked concerns as some right advocates have questioned their inclusion in the revered human rights council.

The body noted that several mechanisms and procedures of the HRC like the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) play an essential role in providing early warning of the risk factors that can lead to crimes against humanity like ethnic cleansing, war crimes and genocide.

It however wondered why some current HRC member states which include Ethiopia, Cameroon, China, Eritrea, United Arab Emirates and Sudan which have all been accused of carrying out potential mass atrocity crimes, are still retained by the council.

“States elected to the HRC are supposed to demonstrate their commitment to the highest standards of human rights, including their full cooperation with all UN mechanisms” the group noted

The body added that it will compile the list of all newly inducted members with an overview of their engagement with R2P – The Responsibility to Protect – an international norm that seeks to ensure that the international community never again fails to halt the mass atrocity crimes of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.