Tuggar Promotes Dr. Elias’s Candidacy for ICJ Position

Tuggar Promotes Dr. Elias’s Candidacy for ICJ Position

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria has solicited the support of the international community for the candidacy of Dr. Taoheed Olufemi Elias for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) job.

The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.

While formally presenting the candidate to the foreign diplomats in Abuja ahead of the ICJ elections scheduled for November 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar said on Thursday, that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has not had a representative on the Court for over three decades.

The last time somebody from the ECOWAS sub-region served on the court was 2011, when Judge Abdul Koroma of Sierra Leone completed his second term.

Tuggar stated that Dr. Elias’ nomination reflects Nigeria’s belief in the enduring relevance of international law as the foundation for peace, justice, and mutual respect among the international community.

He said: “The occasion is more than a formal introduction. It is a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s enduring commitment to international law, to multilateralism, and to ensuring the legal voices and traditions of Africa, especially our ECOWAS sub-region, continues to play its rightful role in the world. Since the Court’s establishment in 1945, Africa has consistently contributed jurists of great distinction, yet no candidate from the ECOWAS region has served on the ICJ since 2011, when Judge Abdul Koroma of Sierra Leone concluded his second term.

“Even more striking, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has not had a national on the Court for over 30 years. This long absence is not a matter of pride, but of perspective. It underscores the importance of equitable geographical representation and the need for voices from West Africa to again be heard within the world’s highest judicial body.

“It is in this spirit that Nigeria proudly presents Dr. Elias, an eminent jurist whose personal merit and professional breadth fully justify this candidacy. Dr. Elias embodies the qualities envisaged in Article 2 of the Statute of the Court, a person of high moral character possessing the qualifications for the highest judicial office and recognised competence in international law. He is a Nigerian national and a member of the Nigerian Bar, but his reputation extends far beyond our borders.

“He is a distinguished scholar, a seasoned international civil servant, and a respected judge. His career demonstrates a rare and balanced combination of academic excellence, multilateral service, and judicial experience. As a widely published scholar, Dr. Elias has taught in leading universities and contributed to many of the most relevant debates in contemporary international law.

“He is a full member of the Institut des Droits Internationaux, an honour reserve for jurists of outstanding distinction. But, Your Excellencies, he is not merely an academic who comments on international law. He is a practitioner who has lived and shaped its evolution.

“His practical experience finds more than two decades of work within the United Nations system. Recall, Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, that under the United Nations Charter, the ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. At the UN, he began as a junior legal officer and rose to the rank of UN Assistant Secretary General.

“Along that path, he held senior positions in multiple international organisations, serving at the intersection of law, diplomacy, and administration. This exposure has given him a deep understanding of how international law functions in practise, how it underpins peacekeeping, humanitarian action, disarmament, and sustainable development. With these elections, I do not believe that other candidates bring to the court such a thorough and real grasp of the UN’s legal architecture and its operational realities.

“Equally impressive is his judicial experience. Dr. Elias has served as a judge and president of several international administrative tribunals, presiding with fairness, clarity, and respect for due process. He presently serves as a judge ad hoc of the International Court of Justice, where he participates in the court’s deliberations and contributes to its jurisprudence with independence and restraint.

“This blend of scholarly reflection, institutional experience, and judicial temperament is unique and is precisely what the court requires at this moment in history, when international disputes are increasingly complex and the demand for legal clarity is greater than ever. Your Excellencies, this candidacy is not about Nigeria alone. It is about ensuring that Africa, and West Africa in particular, retains its rightful presence in shaping the global rule of law.

“Electing Dr. Elias would restore that balance and reaffirm the principle that all regions must share in the custodianship of international justice. It is also about upholding multilateralism in an era when global challenges, from climate change to maritime security, test our collective will. The ICJ stands as a beacon of peaceful dispute settlement.

“Nigeria has always believed that international law must remain the cornerstone of international order. Our record speaks clearly. When Nigeria has appeared before the court, we have respected its judgments and implemented them in full.

“That fidelity to the rule of law informs our decision to present a candidate of the highest calibre. Dr. Elias’ candidacy reflects the very ideals that unite us as members of the diplomatic community, that is integrity, competence, and commitment to justice. He is not a regional candidate.

“He is a candidate for the international community. We all know how complex the global judicial system can be. That is why we require people with the requisite expertise.

“If you look at the differences between francophone, anglophone, for instance, talking about the judicial systems, it is quite complex. That is why we need competent hands. In supporting him, you will be helping to strengthen not only the court but the principle that law, not power, should guide relations among nations.

“Nigeria therefore respectfully seeks your government’s kind support for the election in November 2025, both in the United Nations General Assembly and in the Security Council. Your endorsement will affirm a shared belief that the ICJ must continue to embody diversity, excellence, and independence. Your Excellencies, Nigeria is proud to present Judge Tauhid Orufemi Elias, a jurist of learning, experience, and vision.

“He represents continuity with Africa’s distinguished contribution to the ICJ and renewal for our collective faith in the rule of law. As we look ahead to the elections, I am confident that his presence on the bench will strengthen the court’s credibility and advance our common pursuit of peace through law.”
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