NIGERIAN NEWS BLOGGERS

The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament said the scandal on the alleged marginalization of the Nigerian candidates in the Parliament’s recruitment process as raised by the Nigerian delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament during its 2022 First Ordinary Session in Abuja is misleading as the country has five out of the current ten slots. Rt. Hon. Sidie Mohamed Tunis in a press conference held at the closing of the Parliament Second Extraordinary Session in Lome said the Recruitment process was transparent and free from all forms of manipulations. He said “ Gentlemen of the Press, again I want to welcome you to this very short host session, Press briefing, I want to thank you for coming in the first place and just to share with you may be the outcome of the Session itself. “you will recall that in the last Session in Abuja, Honourable Members raised the issue of recruitment in the ECOWAS Parliament, in fact, the impression at that time was that there were a lot of Malpractices regarding ...

Ifeanyi Valentine, Frederick Idehai, Lome Hell was let loose at the Plenary session of the 2nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament, in Lome capital of Togo when Parliamentarians engaged in a rowdy session as a result of dissatisfaction over the handling of the issue of illegal recruitment by the hierarchy of the Parliament. The Members of Parliament accused the Speaker and his Bureau of allowing illegality to thrive under their watch. Leading the fireworks by the Parliamentarians who felt undermined by the Speaker and his Bureau for clandestinely recruiting despite the decision of the plenary to suspend the process as well as instituting an ad-hoc committee with no recourse to the plenary were two Nigerian delegations, Hon. Awaji Abiante and Sen. Smart Adeyemi. Hon. Abiante who moved a point of order said that the report of the Ad-hoc Committee as set up by the Bureau was given the mandate to work without recourse to its adoption by the Plenary as such was illegal in its en...

President calls for commitment towards peace and security in sub-region The President of the Republic of Togo H. E. Faure Gnassingbe has stressed on the need for a common commitment towards working together in achieving peace and Security in the West African sub-region. According to him there are a number of challenges affecting the sub-region, hence encouraging cooperation to drive acceptable solutions for West Africa. He made this remarks on Thursday, October 6, 2022 following a courtesy visit of the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament Rt. Hon Dr Sidie Mohamed Tunis in Lome where the second Extraordinary Session of the parliament is being hosted. During their meeting, the Honorable Speaker took note of the good relations between the ECOWAS Parliament and the Republic of Togo, and the prospects for their further consolidation. Dr. Tunis then lauded His Excellency Gnassingbe for the important role he is playing to promote peace, security and development in West Africa and his in...

Ifeanyi Valentine, Frederick Idehai, Lome A Nigerian Parliamentarian at the ongoing Extra-Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Lome, Togo, Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji has expressed dismay over the high level extortion and corruption across the sub-region while scrutinising the COVID-19 status of traveller at entry points. He said though, the scrutiny which is not only for Parliamentarians but for the entire ECOWAS citizens is appalling and disgusting as people are delayed unnecessarily despite presenting their certificates of immunization and other requirements. "That type of scrutiny is a hindrance to the spirit of ECOWAS which involves free movement of goods and services(Persons). "When you have such delay, it is discouraging even for foreign investors to think about coming to West Africa . So, we have to look into it. "In some instances, you are made to part with five or ten dollars before you are attended to or delayed unnecessarily. "This is the corru...

As members of the Economic Community of West African State Parliament frown at the ongoing Coup d’etat in three of its member state which has led to the dissolution of its participation in the Parliament Activities, An Honourable member from the Gambia delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament Hon. Billay Tunkara has opined that a direct election of the membership to the ECOWAS Parliament will serve as a working strategy to protect Parliamentarians from being disengaged during a coup. Speaking on the floor of the Parliament's Parliamentary seminar held in Lome, Togo, Hon. Tunkara stated that Coup in the region is becoming unbearable, adding that as soon as there is a Coup the affected country is been barred from participating in the activities of the ECOWAS Parliament, which according to him does not help in addressing situations. Tunkara said “To end the menace of disengagement of Members, ECOWAS must be serious to evolve from National Parliament representation to direct election ...

A Nigerian Legislator, Sen. Smart Adeyemi has called on Lawmakers from the Fifteen Member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to ensure that resolutions adopted at the Parliament sessions are implemented meticulously in their National Parliament. He made the call while speaking to journalists at the venue of the Parliamentary Seminar in Lome, Togo, with the theme: Application of the Supplementary Act on The Enhancement of The Powers of The Parliament in Light of The Restructuring of The ECOWAS Commission. Sen. Adeyemi observed that over time, most resolutions adopted by the Parliament are yet to be implemented by the member state, hence the Impact of the Parliament is not felt across the region, nor does it contribute to the advancement of the Parliament. “I do know that as a serving senator, there are International conventions which must be domicile in respective states and Nations before they can be taken as Laws, in essence, most of the inte...

A member of the Nigerian Senate delegated to the ECOWAS Parliament, Sen. Biodun Olujimi has called on Parliamentarians of the Economic Community of West African States to set aside their different groupings that lead to unhealthy competition and suspicions currently bedeviling the Parliament. Speaking at the sidelines of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Parliamentary Seminar which focused on the Application of the Supplementary Act on The Enhancement of The Powers of The Parliament in Light of The Restructuring of The ECOWAS Commission, Sen. Olujimi stated that the effect of the suspicious nature of MPs is grossly affecting the progress of the Parliament as well as its core mandate. “There is only one thing that I find that we have not spoken about in this seminar, and it is good that we are all here today, it might be offensive to some but one thing is inherently problematic among us. “As Parliamentarians, we are mutually suspicious of each other, the various countries are suspicious ...