Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has said he deserves commendation for securing a front-row seat for Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York.
He made the remark while defending his earlier claim that President Bola Tinubu would sit “very close” to United States President Donald Trump at the assembly.
Tinubu did not attend the session. Vice President Kashim Shettima led Nigeria’s delegation in his place.
Speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday, Ibrahim said Trump did not occupy his assigned seat, having delivered his address and left.
“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,” he said.
Ibrahim said Nigeria was allocated the sixth seat in the front row, which he described as a major diplomatic achievement.
He explained that, as chairman of the Budget and Administration committee, he had access to this year’s speaking list.
According to him, about 60 per cent of the speakers were represented by foreign ministers or vice presidents rather than heads of state.
He questioned whether Tinubu needed to travel to New York only to deliver a 15-minute address.
“Do you want President Tinubu to go into the plane, move down to New York and speak for 15 minutes when 60 per cent of the speaking list are represented by ministers of foreign affairs and vice presidents?” he asked.
Ibrahim also pointed to the absence of leaders from countries including Kenya, South Africa, China and Russia.
“You have to thank me and commend my effort. I said Nigeria would be in the first seat; was Nigeria not in the first seat? I said Nigeria would sit with Donald Trump; did Donald Trump have a seat in the General Assembly? He didn’t sit for a second,” he said.
He insisted that Nigeria’s front-row position remained significant despite the president’s absence.
“Do you think it’s easy for a country to sit at number six in the front row? Don’t you know a country sits at number 193, and your country is sitting at number six; how did I get that?” he said.
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