By Steve Azaiki
On 3 April 2026, the Africa Policy and Research Consortium (APRC), a network comprising organizations from 27 African countries working with multinational and international agencies and headquartered in Canada, wrote to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and to the African Union, urging Nigeria to nominate former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, for the office of Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The Consortium also contacted the National Think Tank, Nigeria, co-chaired by Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, former Minister of External Affairs, to support the initiative.
Following this communication, I personally presented the letter to former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2010–2015). After carefully considering the proposal, President Jonathan informed me that he had no interest in contesting for the office of Secretary-General of the United Nations.
While I respect his decision, I believe it is a disappointing moment for Africa.
At a time when there appeared to be considerable openness among the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France—to support a highly qualified, internationally respected African statesman capable of building consensus, Dr. Jonathan possessed many of the qualities that could have made him an exceptionally strong candidate. The Secretary-General is appointed by the UN General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council, where any of the five permanent members may veto a candidate. (United Nations)
Dr. Jonathan’s credentials are compelling. He served as President of Africa’s largest democracy and one of the continent’s most influential nations. He earned global admiration for conceding electoral defeat in 2015 in the interest of peace and democratic stability, an action widely regarded as a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic history. Since leaving office, he has become one of Africa’s most respected diplomats, leading numerous election observation missions across Africa under the auspices of ECOWAS, the African Union, the Commonwealth and other international organizations. His quiet diplomacy, commitment to constitutional governance and consistent advocacy for peace have earned him respect across political divides.
More recently, his diplomatic engagement contributed to efforts aimed at easing political tensions in Senegal, further reinforcing his reputation as a trusted African statesman committed to dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution.
The current race for the office of Secretary-General is highly competitive. Among the officially nominated candidates are Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, María Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Macky Sall of Senegal and Olara Otunnu of Uganda. Initial informal Security Council polling indicates a competitive field with no definitive consensus yet. (Reuters)
