President Tinubu Advocates for Direct Election in ECOWAS Parliament
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President Bola Tinubu declared his support for a proposal advocating the direct election of members into the parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He emphasized that such a move would empower citizens of member states by granting them a direct say in choosing their representatives.
Addressing the swearing-in ceremony of 97 members into the 6th ECOWAS parliament, Tinubu highlighted the significance of embracing democratic principles. He underscored the alignment of direct elections with Nigeria’s commitment to democratic values and with the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance.
Tinubu assured the newly sworn-in members of Nigeria’s continued support in achieving their objectives as the host country of the ECOWAS community. He reminded the audience of the foundational establishment of the ECOWAS parliament under the ECOWAS Revised Treaty of 1993, emphasizing its role in regional governance.
The ECOWAS parliament, governed by the provisions of its founding protocol, comprises 115 seats distributed among member states based on a guaranteed minimum of five seats each and additional seats allocated according to population size. Despite this structure, only 97 members took their oaths, with some member states lacking representation due to expressed intentions to exit the bloc.
Drawing attention to concerns raised by ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Touray, Tinubu urged states intending to exit—Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—to reconsider, highlighting potential adverse implications for their citizens and the broader regional dynamics.
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