By Seyi Babalola
The presidency has slammed naysayers who alleged that Nigeria lost out in the recent United Nations Human Rights Council elections.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday, explained the controversies surrounding the recent elections.
He said on October 9, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly elected 18 members to the Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term.
Explaining further, he said the members elected to the council were Benin, Bolivia, Colombia, Cyprus, Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Iceland, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Mexico, North Macedonia, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Thailand.
According to the presidential spokesman, the council is an intergovernmental body within the UN system consisting of 47 states tasked with promoting and protecting human rights globally.
“The election, conducted via secret ballot, determined which nations would fill three-year terms beginning on January 1, 2025, replacing members whose terms expire on December 31, 2024.
“Among the outgoing members are Argentina, Benin, Cameroon, Eritrea, Finland, Gambia, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Montenegro, Paraguay, Qatar, Somalia, United Arab Emirates and the United States,” he noted.