United Nations – Nigeria has reaffirmed its support for Libya’s Transitional Council, in spite of being absent at a UN General Assembly that allowed the former rebels to represent the people of Libya at the world body.

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs  said the attention of the Minister, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, had been drawn to the “inadvertent absence of Nigeria’’ at last Friday’s UN voting session.

“Government welcomes the decision of the General Assembly to accept the credentials of the Transitional National Council of Libya (TNC) to the UN as the legitimate authority now in Libya’’ Mr Damian Agwu, the ministry’s spokesman said in the statement.

“The overwhelming support given to the TNC by members of the General Assembly, the highest legislative body, vindicates  the wisdom of the decision taken by Nigeria earlier on this delicate matter,’’ the statement added.

It said that  “appropriate diplomatic steps’’ had been taken to register Nigeria’s voting preference supporting the NTC to speak for Libya at the debate of the UN General Assembly taking place in New York.

“This will form part of the UN record on the subject,’’ the statement added.

The former rebels recently forced Dictator Muammar Gaddafi to abandon his headquarters in Tripoli, following five months of violent conflict sparked by Gaddafi’s brutal crackdown on his citizens.

The NTC declared itself the legitimate representative of the Libyan people on March 5 and mandated Mahmoud Jibril, its leader, on March 23, to form an interim government. (NAN)