*President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, says the Nigerian Government supports the effort at reforming the African Union but rejects the proposal to create a new department out of the existing Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the continental organisation

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

The Nigerian Government has supported the measure to reform the African Union (AU).

The Federal Government said the move would make the continental body more vibrant, viable, and relevant to the needs of member states in the face of rapidly changing global political and economic realities.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose statement was delivered by Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, Honourable Minister for Foreign Affairs, during the consideration and deliberation on the AU reforms report, commended his Rwanda and Kenya counterparts, Paul Kagame and Williams Ruto, for the reform proposals.

Tinubu acknowledged the recommendations outlined in the draft decision on the AU reform and said the Nigerian government supports the proposal to establish a Heads of State and Government Oversight Committee for the AU Reforms under President Ruto’s leadership.

The Nigerian Government also endorsed the proposal that the agenda of the AU Summit feature no more than three strategic items.

In the intervention delivered by Ambassador Tuggar, President Tinubu, however, rejected the proposal to create a new department out of the existing Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security.

In a related development, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, a Nigerian diplomat, heads the department.

Adeoye was re-elected to another term at the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government, which ended Sunday.

Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, who noted this in a statement Sunday, February 16, 2025, quoted President Tonib as saying: “We do not support the proposal to reconfigure the Department of Political Affairs Peace and Security (PAPS) as the reconfiguration of the PAPS Department in the way currently suggested will only lead us to incur more expenditure needlessly.

“We already have a SOD under the Directorate of PAPS. We cannot have a Peace Support Operations Directorate independent of the Directorate of Political Affairs, Peace and Security.”

The President said: “We believe any attempt to create another department from the existing one will destabilise the AU political affairs and peace and security process.

“It is also important that issues that were never brought to the attention of Member States are not part of the reform.”

In respect of inclusiveness and transparency as an integral part of the reform of the AU system, the Nigerian leader further noted that the continental organisation should instead focus on implementing adopted policies and programmes.

He stated: “It is in this connection that Nigeria wishes to reiterate that instead of seeking to reach consensus on all fronts of our reform at one sweep, we should concentrate on areas where we have already reached consensus.

“There is no harm in carrying out reform in phases. It would be an error to continue seeking consultation on all fronts in perpetuity.”

Nigeria will continue to support the reform process as long as it remained transparent and inclusive and did not needlessly destabilise the status quo, President Tinubu asserted.