{"id":122884,"date":"2025-10-10T01:04:52","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T00:04:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=122884"},"modified":"2025-10-10T01:04:52","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T00:04:52","slug":"fg-nominates-elias-for-international-court-of-justice-seat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/fg-nominates-elias-for-international-court-of-justice-seat\/","title":{"rendered":"FG Nominates Elias for International Court of Justice Seat"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Lizzy Chirkpi<\/div>\n
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The Federal Government has nominated Dr. Taoheed Olufemi Elias as Nigeria\u2019s candidate for election to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations\u2019 principal judicial body. The global election is slated for November 2025.<\/div>\n
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The nomination suggests Nigeria\u2019s strongest diplomatic effort in more than three decades to reclaim a seat on the ICJ bench, a position last held by the late Justice Bola Ajibola, who served until 1994.<\/div>\n
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Announcing the nomination in Abuja, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, described the development as \u201ca defining moment for Nigeria, Africa, and the global rule of law.\u201d<\/div>\n
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He said, \u201cDr. Elias is a jurist of learning, integrity, and vision, a man whose scholarship and service reflect Africa\u2019s enduring contribution to international law.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Tuggar noted that the nomination extends beyond Nigeria\u2019s borders, representing the entire ECOWAS subregion, which has not had a representative at the ICJ since Judge Abdul Koroma of Sierra Leone completed his term in 2011.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThis long silence must end,\u201d Tuggar declared. \u201cThe ICJ must reflect equitable geographical representation. Africa\u2019s voice must once again help shape the conscience of the international legal order.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Dr. Elias, who currently serves as a Judge ad hoc at the ICJ, brings over 30 years of experience in international law, diplomacy, and arbitration. His professional background spans major global institutions, including the United Nations, the World Bank Administrative Tribunal, and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). He also presides over administrative tribunals for the OPEC Fund in Vienna and the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah.<\/div>\n
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An acclaimed academic, Elias lectures in International Law at Queen Mary University of London and has served as legal adviser to various governments and international organisations.<\/div>\n
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\u201cFor an international lawyer like myself, this nomination is a call to serve to defend justice in a world where it is under siege,\u201d Elias told a gathering of diplomats to resounding applause.<\/div>\n
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According to Tuggar, Elias\u2019 candidacy reaffirms Nigeria\u2019s enduring conviction that \u201claw, not power, should govern relations among nations.\u201d He urged the international community to support Nigeria\u2019s nominee in both the UN General Assembly and Security Council elections, adding that such support would be a vote for \u201cjustice, diversity, and global fairness.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cIn endorsing Elias, you affirm not only the integrity of the court but the principles that keep our world anchored in justice,\u201d the Minister said. \u201cThis is a defining moment for our country. Through Dr. Elias, Nigeria\u2019s voice for justice and fairness will once again echo through the halls of The Hague.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Outlining his vision, Dr. Elias identified three pillars guiding his candidacy: intellectual excellence, extensive international experience, and judicial competence. \u201cThis is not merely a Nigerian candidacy,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is a reaffirmation of Africa\u2019s legal intellect, independence, and commitment to global justice.\u201d<\/div>\n
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He reiterated, \u201cFor an international lawyer like myself, dedicated to the rule of law, this nomination is a call to service to defend justice in a world where it is being tested on all fronts.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Other speakers at the event commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu\u2019s administration for promoting merit-based diplomacy. Members of Nigeria\u2019s National Group at the Permanent Court of Arbitration\u00a0 including Professor Paul Adonija, Professor Amelia, and Mrs. Thomas Robert hailed Elias\u2019 nomination as one of Nigeria\u2019s proudest diplomatic achievements in recent years.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThis government is not playing small,\u201d a senior diplomat remarked. \u201cElias represents Nigeria\u2019s strategic push to reassert its moral and legal leadership on the global stage.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Delegates praised Dr. Elias for embodying \u201cthe very essence of fairness, transparency, and justice,\u201d describing him as a blend of academic brilliance and practical understanding of international governance.<\/div>\n
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They also commended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its strategic coordination and lauded President Tinubu for \u201cmaking Nigeria proud once again on the global stage.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe choice of Elias shows this government\u2019s dedication to competence and credibility,\u201d one delegate said. \u201cThis is not just a nomination, it’s a statement that Nigeria stands tall in the global quest for justice.\u201d<\/div>\n
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As the November 2025 elections draw near, Nigeria\u2019s diplomatic network from Abuja to New York is mobilising international support to secure Dr. Elias\u2019 place on one of the world\u2019s most prestigious judicial benches.<\/div>\n
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