AU Summit: Nigeria Fails to Present Candidates for Elective Positions

Alex Enumah in Abuja

For the first time, Nigeria may not be fielding any candidates in the various vacant positions in the African Union when the body meets next week at its 27th ordinary session to elect new members that would lead them for the next two years.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, made this disclosure on Monday while briefing journalists on the level of preparation for the 2016 African Union Summit.

The summit which has as its theme: “African Year of Human Rights, with particular focus on Women’s Rights’ is scheduled for the 16thto 18th July, 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda.

While noting that the nation has not taken a final decision on whether she would field candidates or not, the minister disclosed that Nigeria had an initial plan to sponsor a candidate for the peace and security commission currently occupied by Algeria, which, according to him, was vying for the position of the chair but had to withdraw following Algeria’s decision to retain her position.

Onyeama however stated that if the call for the postponement of the election till next year succeeds, then Nigeria may cash in on the opportunity to field a candidate.

Further details later