President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said that Nigeria deserved to have a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

President Jonathan made this comment while addressing the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Election for who occupies the seat will take place in October, this year

The president, who made a strong case for Nigeria's election to the United Nations Security Council, declared that Nigeria's commendable performance in previous occasions when it held a non-permanent seat on the Security Council should convince the global community that the country deserved to be elected to the council again for the 2014-2015 session.

He said: "Our support for the UN Security Council in its primary responsibility in the maintenance of international peace and security has been total and unwavering. We have, in previous membership of the Council, demonstrated both the political will and capacity to engage in key Council responsibilities. I am pleased to state that Nigeria has received the endorsement of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU). We, therefore, urge this august Assembly to endorse Nigeria's candidature for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council," President Jonathan said in his address to the General Assembly."

Calling for faster action towards the democratization of the Security Council, President Jonathan told the about 192 world leaders, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, that Nigeria and other developing countries were concerned about the lack of progress in the reformation of the UN.

He said, "That is why we call for the democratization of the Security Council. This is desirable for the enthronement of justice, equity, and fairness; and also for the promotion of a sense of inclusiveness and balance in our world," he said.

Meanwhile, Jonathan and the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga, yesterday said that Nigeria would not fail despite the ongoing security challenges confronting the country.
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UNITED NATION SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
The Council is composed of 15 Members:
five permanent members: China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States,
and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly (with end of term date):
Argentina (2014)
Australia (2014)
Azerbaijan (2013)
Guatemala (2013)
Luxembourg (2014)
Morocco (2013)
Pakistan (2013)
Republic of Korea (2014)
Rwanda (2014)
Togo (2013)

http://www.un.org/en/sc/members/