Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja

The Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Professor Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, has been elected President of the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Following the election, Muhammad-Bande will be taking over from Ecuadorian politician and diplomat, María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly.

However, there was no official statement issued neither by the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN in New York at the time of filing this report.

Muhammad-Bande, the sole candidate for the position, it was gathered that he was elected through acclamation at the 87th plenary meeting of the Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

He is the second Nigerian to hold the office after Joseph Garba, a retired military officer and diplomat, who led the organ between 1989 and 1990.