ECOWAS Parliament’s High-level Meeting Will Focus on Reforming Region’s Electoral Process – Speaker

The New Diplomat
Writer
ECOWAS Parliament’s High-level Meeting Will Focus on Reforming Region’s Electoral Process – Speaker

Ad

Cristiano Ronaldo enters billionaire ranks, valued at $1.4bn – Bloomberg

By Obinna Uballa Portuguese star and Al Nassr forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, has become the first footballer to be officially recognised as a billionaire, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index. The index, which tracks the world’s wealthiest individuals, places the 40-year-old’s net worth at $1.4 billion (£1.04bn), making him the richest footballer in history. Bloomberg’s valuation takes…

INEC Chairmanship: Amupitan in pole position as Tinubu set to name Yakubu’s successor

By Obinna Uballa Nigeria’s electoral body is on the cusp of new leadership following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu after a 10-year tenure as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday. Multiple presidency and commission sources indicate that the frontrunner to succeed him is Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), Deputy Vice-Chancellor…

Peter Obi Condemns “Derogatory” Labels, Says His Supporters Are Not Street Urchins

By Abiola Olawale Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, has condemned the use of derogatory labels against his supporters, stressing that no Nigerian should ever be described as a “street urchin.” In a statement posted on his official X handle, the former Anambra State governor decried what he called…

Ad

Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament Dr Sidie Tunis has said that the Parliament will hold a high-level meeting in Winneba, Ghana to come up with positive electoral reforms for ECOWAS Presidents.

Tunis disclosed this in a phone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday ahead of the high-level meeting and Extraordinary Session which will hold from Oct. 12 to Oct. 22.

NAN reports that the high-level meeting has the theme: “Two Decades of Democratic Elections in ECOWAS Member States: Achievements, Challenges, and Prospects”.

According to Tunis, the high-level meeting of ECOWAS Parliamentarians seeks to proffer solutions to the political instability in the sub-region – a situation that has stemmed from electoral inconsistencies in some member states.

He said the Parliament, as a matter of urgency, was taking steps to deter other countries from toeing the line of Mali and Guinea following the military takeover in both countries.

“From the high-level meeting, we hope to come up with concrete proposals for the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of States and Government to see how best we can make recommendations for electoral reforms in members states.

“Considering that most of the challenges that have caused political instability in the past two years, especially in Mali and Guinea all emanated from electoral inconsistencies, we are hoping that the ECOWAS Parliament will chart a new roadmap for the electoral process, peace, and stability of the sub-region.

“Basically, we will review the electoral process of member states in the past 20 years and (consider) how to beef it up.

“We will also examine Observer Missions to see if they have been doing very well and how they can also improve,” Tunis said.

NAN also reports that President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana who is the Chair of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government is expected to attend the meeting.

The high-level Seminar will hold from Oct. 12 to Oct. 15 to be followed by the Second Extraordinary Session of the Parliament from Oct. 18 to Oct. 22.

The Extraordinary Session of the Parliament will focus on examining and adopting the Community Parliament’s draft budget for the 2022 financial year. (NAN)

Ad

Unlocking Opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea during UNGA80
X whatsapp