The Deputy President of Nigerian Senate, Jibrin Barau, last Thursday emerged the Acting Speaker of the Parliament of Economic Community of West Africa State (ECOWAS Parliament).
Barau, who originally was elected the First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament during the inauguration of the 6th Legislature of the regional bloc, was made the Acting Speaker following the absence of Togo, whose turn it was to assume Speakership position.
Barau, who was the leader of Nigerian delegation to the parliament, would continue to act in that capacity pending the general election in Togo.
In accordance with the rotational system established by the ECOWAS Authority of the Heads of States and Governments, the leadership of the regional parliament was zoned to Togo. The delay in conducting presidential election in the country has however brought about the delay in having a substantive Speaker of the Parliament.
The 6th Legislature was inaugurated by the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who also doubled as the Chair, Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS in accordance with the Supplementary Act on the Enhancement of Powers of the regional legislature in a ceremony which was held in Abuja on Thursday.
Barau was nominated by Nigerian member of Parliament, Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante in a session presided by Liberia’s Edwin Snowe as interim Speaker. His nomination was seconded by another Nigerian member of Parliament, Senator Ireti Kingibe and he was voted unopposed.
The office of the Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament is usually reserved for Nigeria anytime the country is not presiding as Speaker of the Parliament.
Also elected as Second Deputy Speaker was Adjaratou Traore Coulibally from Cote d’Ivoire, who polled 54 votes to beat Cecile Ahoumnon from Benin, who got zero vote.
The position of the Third Deputy Speaker was won by Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin from Ghana in a unanimous vote.
The Fourth Deputy Speaker position was won by Billay Tunkara from The Gambia with 47 votes, beating Orlando Pereira Dias from Cabo Verde, who got seven votes.
The immediate past Speaker of the Parliament, Sidie Mohammed Tunis, has however pledged to visit Togo to make the country understand the implication of the delay in conducting election and sending delegate to the parliament to occupy its right position.
“I will proceed to Togo to have a conversion with the authorities there with a view to encouraging them to have their delegation inaugurated as soon as possible so that we can have a Speaker to run this institution. It is very, very important. There are so many things to do in the sub-region, and the ECOWAS Parliament has a very big role to play in the sub-region but they will not be able to do so without the Speaker,” he said.
When the Parliament reconvened, the Acting Speaker admonished members of the newly inaugurated committees to be diligent in their works.
