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Bankole Advocates Permanent UN Security Seat For Nigeria
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Dimeji Bankole, on Wednesday, called for the inclusion of Nigeria as a permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council.
The Council is an organ of the UN, charged with maintaining peace and security between nations.
It has 15 members, made up of five permanent and 10 elected members.
Bankole made the call in Russia while speaking during bilateral talks with Mr Boris Gryzlov, the Speaker of the National Assembly (Duma) of the Russian Federation as part of an International Parliamentary Conference between Russia and Africa.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Kayode Odunaro, Speacial Adviser on communications to the Speaker.
He said that Nigeria’s bid for membership of the Council should be widely supported, due to its importance in Africa and contributions to global security through peacekeeping operations.
Bankole urged the Russian Speaker to fully support Nigeria’s bid for the slot and also impress it upon relevant authorities in his country on the need for allocation of a plot of land in Moscow for Nigeria to build its embassy.
He informed him of the level of commitment of the Nigerian Parliament towards the enactment of investment protection legislations.
Bankole further assured that the Investment Protection Bill before the parliament now in its final stages of passage would be passed as soon as possible to guarantee the safety of the investment of Russian investors in Nigeria.
Bankole stressed the need for both parliaments to consolidate relations through the establishment of a joint parliamentary association.
Gryzlov noted that such a body would complement executive efforts of both countries with legislative support in the areas of mutually beneficial economic and technical relations.
He noted that the proposed parliamentary association was an idea whose time had come and promised that this would come on stream as soon as the ‘Duma’ reconvened for its 5th session.
Gryzlov, however, traced the recent developments of Nigeria-Russian relation to the visit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to Russia which led to the signing of MoUs by both countries in the areas of oil and gas.
The Russian speaker further pledged that the issue of land allocation for a permanent building would be referred to the relevant agencies in view of the increased tempo of activities in relations between both countries.
He added that Russia would also deliberate on the possibility of Nigeria’s selection into the UN Security Council.
Members on Bankole’s entourage include, Reps Ali Ndume, the Minority Leader, Umar Bature, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, Sada Soli, Chairman, Inter-Parliamentary Committee; Diami Akpanahn, Chairman, Legislative Compliance Committee and Mohammed Goni.