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Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has defended his role in securing a prominent seating position for Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, UNGA81, in New York.
Ibrahim said Nigeria’s placement in the sixth position of the front row was a significant diplomatic achievement, insisting that his efforts in securing the position deserved commendation.
He made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television while responding to questions over his earlier statement that President Bola Tinubu would sit “very close” to United States President Donald Trump at the General Assembly.
Tinubu, however, did not attend the ongoing UNGA81, with Vice President Kashim Shettima leading the Nigerian delegation and delivering the country’s national statement on the President’s behalf.
According to Ibrahim, the seating arrangement remained significant despite the President’s absence, explaining that Trump himself did not remain in the seat allocated to him after delivering his address.
“Did Donald Trump sit in the seat that was provided for him? Did he sit there? He sat 27th seat, far away from Nigeria. He didn’t sit there. He came to deliver his lecture to the General Assembly and left from there,” Ibrahim said.
He explained that Nigeria was assigned the sixth seat in the front row, describing the position as an indication of the country’s standing within the international body.
Ibrahim further argued that there was no compelling reason for Tinubu to travel to New York merely to deliver a 15-minute address, particularly when several countries were represented by vice presidents or foreign ministers.
He said about 60 per cent of those scheduled to speak at the General Assembly were represented by senior government officials rather than heads of state.
The Nigerian envoy also cited the absence of leaders from countries including South Africa, China, Russia and Kenya, arguing that Nigeria was adequately represented by the Vice President.
Defending his earlier remarks, Ibrahim said: “You have to thank me and commend my effort. I said Nigeria would be in the front seat; was Nigeria not in the front seat?”
He maintained that Nigeria’s position in the front row was secured despite the change in the composition of the country’s delegation.
Ibrahim had earlier stated that Nigeria would retain its designated front-row position at the 81st UN General Assembly, even with Shettima representing Tinubu.
The development comes amid discussions over Tinubu’s absence from UNGA81 and his extended stay in Europe, with Shettima representing the President at the high-level international gathering.
