Senate begins screening of Marwa, Nwite, Chikwe

Dele Aderibigbe, Lagos - 27.11.2007

Former military governor of Borno and Lagos states, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), has said that Nigeria has a bright chance of securing a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.

Marwa, who stated this on Monday at the screening of ambassadorial nominees earlier set aside by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, said that Nigeria had the brightest chance of securing the position set aside for Africa.

Besides Marwa, other also screened on Monday included a former governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Senator Polycarp Nwite; and a former Aviation Minister, Dr. Kema Chikwe.

The screening took place after the Senate compelled the committee to screen the nominees who were earlier set aside due to alleged security reports.

Marwa said that there was the need for a black face in the Security Council and that Nigeria was the best qualified.

“There is no country that has done more than Nigeria in peace keeping operations. For Africans, we deployed 12,000 soldiers.

Nigeria has chaired the United Nations Commission on peace keeping operations for years and Nigeria has contributed positively to the UN for more than three decades.

“We should just step up the campaign, nobody is better qualify than Nigeria,” Marwa said.

He stated that the ideals that qualify Nigeria included her human rights records, adherence to due process and rule of law, payment of dues to the UN and meeting of obligations to the UN.

According to him, Nigeria’s credentials in all those areas are impeccable, adding that the nation’s democratic credentials had been enhanced since the return to democracy.