A pan-African policy organisation, the African Policy and Research Consortium (APRC), has endorsed Nigerian law professor and stateswoman, Prof. Akasoba Duke-Abiola, for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, urging President Bola Tinubu to formally nominate and support her candidature for the global office.
The consortium said Duke-Abiola’s emergence would present Africa with a unique opportunity to provide transformative leadership at the highest level of international governance while elevating Nigeria’s influence within the United Nations system.
The endorsement was contained in a nomination letter issued in Abuja on Thursday and addressed to the relevant authorities by the APRC, a policy organisation committed to advancing Africa’s development agenda through research, innovation and strategic partnerships.
Speaking on the endorsement, the consortium’s Deputy Executive Coordinator, Prof. Edward Agbai, said the decision followed communication received through the Nigerian National Think Tank regarding Duke-Abiola’s nomination for consideration in the race to succeed the outgoing UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, whose second term expires on December 31, 2026.
Agbai described Duke-Abiola as a distinguished public servant and intellectual with an impressive record of contributions to governance, human rights and international affairs, noting that the office of the UN Secretary-General demands exceptional leadership and global credibility.
“The office of the Secretary-General is one of the most significant leadership positions in global governance, requiring not only exceptional personal qualifications, but also the formal backing of a member state of the United Nations,” he said.
The APRC stressed that under established UN procedures, candidates for the Secretary-General position must be formally nominated by a UN member state before their names can be considered by the UN Security Council.
According to the consortium, the process begins with a member state submitting a candidate’s nomination to the President of the UN Security Council, after which the Council evaluates the candidates and recommends one to the UN General Assembly for appointment.
Agbai therefore appealed to President Tinubu to officially endorse Duke-Abiola’s candidature through Nigeria’s constitutional and diplomatic channels, arguing that such support would reinforce the country’s commitment to promoting qualified African leadership on the global stage.
“Presentation of Duke-Abiola would affirm Nigeria’s readiness to place before the international community a candidate of formidable intellectual, governmental and diplomatic stature,” the consortium stated.
The organisation further argued that her candidacy would project Africa as a continent capable of shaping global policy and providing visionary leadership rather than merely responding to international decisions.
“For Africa, her candidature would represent the continent not as a passive recipient of international policy, but as a source of global leadership, ideas, mediation, institutional wisdom and moral authority,” the statement added.
Duke-Abiola, a law professor, human rights advocate and public policy expert, is regarded by her supporters as possessing extensive experience in diplomacy, governance, security, sustainable development and international engagement.
Her potential bid comes as diplomatic consultations intensify ahead of the selection of a successor to Guterres, with member states expected to begin positioning candidates for one of the world’s most influential international offices.
The Secretary-General serves as the United Nations’ chief administrative officer and plays a pivotal role in global diplomacy, conflict resolution, humanitarian coordination and the implementation of international peace and development initiatives.
