TDA coalition of prominent Nigerian civil society organisations has petitioned both national and international authorities, demanding the withdrawal of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim’s appointment as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Reasons for the demand were contained in several petitions addressed to several individuals and organisations including:
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres
- Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS)
- EFCC Chairman
- ICPC Chairman
- The President of the Nigerian Senate
- The U.S. Secretary of State
- United States Department of State
The organisations insist that Ibrahim’s appointment undermines Nigeria’s credibility, citing outstanding criminal charges and financial recovery obligations against him.
Signatories
The petition was signed by a broad alliance of accountability and rights groups, including:
- 21st Century Community Empowerment for Youth and Women Initiative
- Accountability Lab Nigeria
- Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD)
- HEDA Resource Centre
- ImpactHouse Centre for Development Communication
- Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
- Opeyemi Adamolekun
- Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI)
- Policy Alert
- Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC)
- CHRICED (Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education)
- The Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative (Partners West Africa – Nigeria)
Core Demands
The coalition’s demands are twofold:
- Immediate withdrawal of Senator Ibrahim’s UN appointment.
- Enforcement of outstanding criminal charges and financial recovery obligations against him by Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies.
Implications
Civil society leaders argue that allowing Ibrahim to represent Nigeria at the UN would damage the country’s reputation on issues of governance, accountability, and anti-corruption.
They stressed that Nigeria must demonstrate integrity in its international appointments, especially at a time when global scrutiny of governance standards is intensifying.
This development sets the stage for a potential diplomatic and political showdown, as both domestic institutions and international partners weigh the coalition’s demands.
Demand for Withdrawal of Jimoh Ibrahim’s UN Appointment
The coalition of Nigerian civil society organisations issued an open letter to President Tinubu and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
It called for the immediate withdrawal of Senator Ibrahim’s appointment as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Core Concerns
The groups argue that Ibrahim’s appointment is indefensible given his record of:
- Unpaid workers’ wages — N1.5 billion awarded by court, still unresolved.
- Debt to the Nigerian state — N69.4 billion judgment debt enforced by AMCON.
- Pending criminal charges — Alleged N4.86 billion tax evasion and forged tax clearance certificates.
- Diversion of aviation funds — N35.5 billion allegedly misapplied, with Senate resolutions still unenforced.
They warned that sending an active criminal defendant and debtor to represent Nigeria internationally undermines the country’s credibility, rule of law, and diplomatic integrity.
Demands
The coalition calls on the President to:
- Withdraw Ibrahim’s UN appointment.
- Direct the Attorney-General to provide updates on pending criminal charges.
- Ensure AMCON enforces recovery of the N69.4 billion debt.
- Implement the Senate resolution on diverted aviation funds.
- Appoint a representative whose record reflects integrity and credibility.
Closing Note
The coalition insists that Nigeria’s UN Mission is not a reward for political loyalty, but a trust held for 220 million citizens.
They caution that history, citizens, and the international community are watching, and warn of possible legal action if the appointment is not reversed.
In short, Nigerian civil societies demand UN appointment withdrawal for Senator Jimoh Ibrahim over debts, criminal charges, and integrity concerns.
Senator Ibrahim could not be reached as at the moment of this publication for his reaction to the allegations levelled against him.
Due to the length and diversity of the petitions, This Dawn News will present them in parts for the benefit of our readers.
Watch out for part two…
