NIGERIA AND FOUR OTHERS ELECTED INTO UN SECURITY COUNCIL by Benson Agoha

* United Nations Security Council.

Nigeria and four other countries have been elected to serve on the United Nations Security Council for the 2014/2015 session.

Information from the UN News Centre says that the countries drawn from Africa, Asia, The Middle East, Europe and the South America were elected in a single round of secret balloting, says the UN.

Chad (Central Africa), Chile (South America), Lithuania (Eastern Europe), Nigeria (West Africa) and Saudi Arabia (Middle East) were elected after they obtained the required two-thirds majority of those Member States present and voting in the 193-member Assembly.

The five permanent Council members, with the power of veto, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States on the Council whil the Non-permanent member countries Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, the Republic of Korea and Rwanda will leave Council at the end of 2014.

The Security Council has the reponsibility of implementing the UN Chartter on world security. They determine when to use force or when to impose sanctions if considered necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security.

Under the UN Charter also, all Member States are obligated to comply with the decisions of the Security Council.

* Twitter: @bensonagoha.