Nigeria has withdrawn its membership of the Maritime Organisation for West and Central Africa (MOWCA) following strong reservation over the organisation’s disregard for the rules of procedure regarding the eligibility of candidates nominated for the position of secretary-general.
According to a statement issued by Eric Ojiekwe, director of press and public relations in the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Nigerian delegation made the decision during the 8th Bureau of Ministers and 15th General Assembly of MOWCA held on Thursday, July 29 in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ojiekwe explained that Nigeria’s delegation were saddened at the outcome of the meeting, given the country’s ardent and consistent support which included over $5 million financial support for the body and its activities in the past ten years with the organisation failing to employ a single Nigerian.
“Nigeria as a nation must take a stand against the promotion of illegality, disrespect for the rule of law and contravention of the rules regarding election of the Secretary-General of MOWCA,” the statement read in part.
The statement further confirmed that Nigeria was the only country that met the age eligibility criteria requirement that candidates vying for the position of MOWCA’s secretary-general must not exceed 55 years.
It noted that the candidate nominated by Nigeria was 55 years as at when nominations closed in 2020, while the Guinean candidate was 60 years old and that of Benin was 62 years old.
The statement frowned over what it described as the “apparent willingness” of some member states to consider for elections candidates, who knowingly contravened the age criteria by over five years in the case of Guinea and seven years by Benin. It argued that Paul Adaliku, the Nigerian candidate and director, maritime services, Federal Ministry of Transportation, was the only eligible candidate and should have been declared unopposed.