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Lastest News Nigeria, Politics, Business, Sport, Interview
Lastest News Nigeria, Politics, Business, Sport, Interview
Babatunji Wusu –
President Bola Tinubu has pledged to support a proposal for direct election of ECOWAS parliamentarians.
Tinubu, ECOWAS Chairman, made the statement on Thursday when swearing in 97 members of the 6th ECOWAS parliament at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
The Nigerian leader claimed that direct elections would allow citizens of member states the opportunity to choose who represents them.
He told members of the sixth ECOWAS Parliament that Nigeria, as host of the community, would continue to assist them in achieving their goals.
He said: “As a one-time legislator myself, I look forward to reviewing the proposal regarding this matter. We stand to support the direct elections into ECOWAS parliament.
“The practice of directly electing public officers aligns with democratic principles, principles that Nigeria upholds
“This principle is also in line with the spirit of the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance.
“We believe this will ensure that citizens will have a direct say in their representation and the legitimacy and credibility it will provide.”
President Tinubu also urged Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to reconsider their decision to leave ECOWAS, stating that their exit could have far-reaching effects for their population as well as the region.
The ECOWAS Parliament, commonly known as the Community Parliament, was founded by Articles 6 and 13 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty in 1993.
The parliament consists of 115 seats. Each member state is promised a minimum of five seats, with the remaining 40 seats allocated depending on population.
Only 97 members, representing parliamentarians from various member states, were sworn in Thursday.
They include 35 Nigerians and five each from Benin Republic, Cabo Verde, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Other members include eight from Ghana, seven from Cote d’Ivoire, and six from Senegal and Guinea.
Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have no representatives in the sixth parliament because they have announced their intention to leave the bloc.
