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Prof. Attahiru Jega, Former Chairman, Independent National Election Commission (INEC), Nigeria has said that an overhaul of the electoral system in ECOWAS Member States is critical in achieving credible, free and fair elections in the sub-region. Jega made this known during a Technical Session at the ongoing High-level Parliamentary Seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament on Thursday in Winneba, Ghana. According to him, independence, relative autonomy, integrity of the electoral body with a good legal framework will bring the desired reforms in the electoral process of ECOWAS countries for good governance. Jega said that achieving credible elections also requires the collaboration of all stakeholders, adding that the electoral body alone cannot not succeed in delivering credible elections if other sectors are compromised. “When we examine the conduct of elections in the last two decades in ECOWAS Member States, we can see some progress that has been made but obviously there are lots o...

Members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament have called for urgent actions from the Community’s Institutions to stop the trend distortion of democratic rule in Member States. The Members of Parliament made the call on Wednesday during the technical section of the ongoing High-level Parliamentary Seminar in Winneba Ghana. The parliamentary Seminar with the theme “Two Decades of Democratic Elections in ECOWAS Member States: Achievements, Challenges, Challenges and the Way Forward” seeks to proffer solutions to electoral inconsistencies in Member States. Hon. Laadi Ayii Ayamba, a Member of Parliament from Ghana who lamented the situation said ECOWAS has the solutions to the problems but needs to put in political will and affirmative actions. According to Ayamba, the situations in Mali and Guinea could have been averted if ECOWAS was proactive. “To me, it was a shame when ECOWAS went to Guinea for mediation when an action could have been taken w...

The Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Sidie Mohammed Tunis has warned that the community risks being perceived as a body of failed states over rising coups, tenure elongations and undemocratic constitutional amendments. The Speaker said this at his opening address at the high-level parliamentary seminar on 20 years of democratic elections in West Africa in Ghana’s coastal city of Winneba on the theme: Evaluating Two Decades Of Democratic Elections In The ECOWAS Region: Achievements, Challenges And The Way Forward.” Tunis said that while governments in the region condemn coups, it is important that they give serious attention to the new phenomenon of amending the constitution of a state before an election or before the expiration of the tenure of an incumbent President. “Amending a constitution to conform to current realities is not in itself a problem. When the proposed amendments to the constitution protect the governing elite at...

The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has appointed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana to champion its drive to achieve direct election of members into the parliament. The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Mohammed Tunis made the announcement during his opening address at the high-level parliamentary seminar on 20 years of democratic elections in West Africa in Ghana’s coastal city of Winneba on the theme: Evaluating Two Decades Of Democratic Elections In The ECOWAS Region: Achievements, Challenges And The Way Forward.” Tunis said one of the cardinal objectives of the current legislature is to achieve the election of members into the ECOWAS Parliament by direct universal suffrage. He noted that despite restrictions and difficulties associated with executing normal activities, occasioned by the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Parliament was able to kick start the process last year. Article 18 of the Supplementary Act provides that Repres...