Buhari says Nigeria will ensure the Parliament’s Headquarters is constructed on time.
President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to support the direct elections of Legislators into the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament.
Buhari made the pledge on Tuesday when he received Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Tunis, and his delegation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He also reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Government to ensure that the Parliament’s Headquarters is constructed on time.
“I pledge my fullest support for the Direct Elections of Members into the ECOWAS Parliament, provided that it will be achieved at minimum cost to the Community.
“Nigeria has accepted to host the ECOWAS Parliament and we will do all we can to make your stay comfortable,” Buhari said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tunis led a delegation of the ECOWAS Parliament to solicit the support of Buhari as advocate for the direct elections of lawmakers into the Parliament.
Tunis told Buhari that the cardinal objective of his tenure is the election of Members into the ECOWAS Parliament through Direct Universal Suffrage, which would enable the Parliament exercise its mandates more effectively.
The Speaker however told President Buhari that joining his voice to the cause would yield towards the actualisation of the cause.
“Your Excellency, bearing in mind the numerous advantages appertaining to the direct election of Members into the ECOWAS Parliament, we ask that you please consider granting this advocacy your fullest support.
“We are convinced that with your support, we are on our way to safe landing,” the Speaker said,” Tunis said.
Tunis also thanked the President and the Nigerian Government for the provision of land and sought to accelerate the construction of the new Headquarters of the ECOWAS Parliament.
He also expressed optimism that the project will be concluded within the life span of the current administration.
“Your Excellency, we are confident that we can continue to count on your usual and untiring assistance.
“As we collectively carry on the most needed task of strengthening democracy and the rule of law across the West African sub- region,” Tunis said.
NAN also reports that upon assuming Speakership of the ECOWAS Parliament, Tunis said that the focus of his led Fifth Legislature would be the actualisation of direct elections of Members of Parliaments.
Tunis explained that direct elections of Parliamentarians will give them more powers to function according to their mandates effectively and be more responsive to community issues and the citizens.
With this, President Buhari joins President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana who is Champion of the ECOWAS Parliaments campaign on Direct Universal Suffrage and Former President of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou, who is also champion of the course amongst others.
Tunis was accompanied on the visit by the Third and Forth Deputy Speakers of the ECOWAS Parliament, and the Secretary General of the Parliament.
Other Members of the delegation included Chairman on Political Affairs, Peace, Security and African Peer Review Mechanism, Secretary General and some Senior Management Staff of the ECOWAS Parliament.
