The Democratic Front has expressed delight with Vice President Kashim Shettima’s push for a permanent seat for Nigeria in the United Nations Security Council.

The vice president made the advocacy at the recently concluded UN General Assembly. .

The TDF Chairman, Danjuma Muhammad, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said it was long overdue for Africa to have a representative in the Security Council.

He said, “We are delighted to throw our weight behind the call by the vice president for a permanent African membership of the United Nations Security Council at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York. We are particularly thrilled by the fact that this courageous call by the current administration for a permanent seat for Nigeria in the Security Council has drawn global attention and concern to the all-important need to redress the discrimination and injustice done to the continent.’’

Mr Muhammad recalled that recently President Bola Tinubu’s administration made concerted efforts to address the menace of terrorism, banditry and other violent crimes currently bedevilling the African continent.

The TDF chairman said the president hosted a high-powered African counterterrorism meeting that led to the Abuja Declaration of April 2024.

He said Mr Tinubu’s mindset towards the Abuja Declaration 2024 was to strengthen regional cooperation and institution building aimed at addressing the evolving threat of terrorism and general insecurity on the continent.

He said the gesture was in line with the objective of the United Nations.

He said, “Our sentiment to support Tinubu’s administration’s bid for a permanent African membership in the Security Council is motivated by the legendary contributions and sacrifices Nigeria has made to assist the UN in maintaining global peace and security in Africa and the world at large.”

He noted that Nigeria had offered political and diplomatic leadership in the global campaign that terminated apartheid and enthroned majority rule in South Africa.

Vice President Kashim Shettima led a peace enforcement mission to restore peace, security and democracy in Liberia and Sierra Leone without contributions from the UN or any continental body.

“The OAU peacekeeping mission in Chad, which Nigeria led way back in 1980 during the Shehu Shagari administration, still remains fresh in our memory. Nigeria was on peacekeeping missions to Lebanon, Yugoslavia, Somalia and Darfur, among others,” the TDF chairman said.

He said that such contributions confirmed the country’s enviable records in the promotion of global peace, security and regional cooperation, better than the records of many other countries.

Mr Muhammad said it was, therefore, not surprising that the American Chamber of Commerce was set to commit $320 million into mortgage and SMEs financing in Nigeria.

According to Mr Muhammad, it is an attestation of global investors’ confidence in the ongoing economic reforms of the Tinubu administration.

He expressed optimism that more of such direct investment would flow into the economy before the end of 2024.

Mr Muhammad, however, urged the government to step up its bid to represent Africa in the Security Council by reaching out to countries that were in the position to back its campaign.

(NAN)