ICJ November Election: Tuggar Presents Dr. Elias Nigeria’s Candidate To Diplomatic Community

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has announced Dr. Taoheed Olufemi Elias as Nigeria’s candidate for the UN principal judicial body, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), ahead of its election scheduled for November 12, 2025.

The ICJ, commonly regarded as the highest court for resolving disputes between sovereign states, was established in 1945 as the principal judicial organ of the UN.

The minister described the Nigerian international lawyer, currently serving as ad hoc judge at the ICJ, as a respected figure in international law with a distinguished record of legal scholarship.

Yusuf Tuggar says this is a turning point for Nigeria, being the strongest diplomatic bid in over 30 years to reclaim a seat in the ICJ bench.

The nomination of Elias represents not just Nigeria’s interest, but the entire ECOWAS sub-region, which has had no representation at the ICJ since Judge Abdul Koroma of Sierra Leone in 2011.