Barau Assumes Role as Acting Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament

• Barau Jibrin appointed acting Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament’s Sixth Legislature, filling in due to Togo’s absence from inauguration
• Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin takes on role during inaugural session in Abuja, pending Togo’s official delegation inauguration

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has been appointed as the acting Speaker of the Sixth Legislature of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament.

Barau, who leads the Nigerian delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, assumed the position during Thursday’s inaugural session in Abuja.

The Deputy President of the Senate was nominated as the 1st Deputy Speaker by Rep Awaji-Inombek D. Abiante and seconded by Senator Ireti Kingibe.

In line with the rotational system established by Decision A/DEC. 6/06/06 of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, the Speakership for the Sixth Legislature of the regional body has been assigned to the Republic of Togo.

However, due to the absence of the Togolese delegation at the inauguration, Edwin Melvin Snowe JR, a Liberian, was elected as the Speaker Pro-tempore to oversee proceedings. Senator Barau, as the 1st Deputy Speaker, was designated to act as the Speaker until the Togolese delegation is inaugurated.

During the session, Honourable Adjaratou Traore Coulibaly from Cote D’Ivoire was elected as the 2nd Deputy Speaker, Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin from Ghana as the 3rd Deputy Speaker, and Honourable Billay G Tunkara from Gambia as the Fourth Deputy Speaker.

The opening ceremony was graced by the President of Nigeria and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

President Tinubu emphasized the importance of regional solidarity to fortify the bloc’s resilience and effectiveness, urging ECOWAS member states to unite against divisive forces.

Lawmakers from various ECOWAS member states were inaugurated as members of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament, representing the Assembly of Peoples of the Community. The ECOWAS Parliament is a platform for dialogue, consultation, and consensus-building to promote integration in West Africa.

Established under Articles 6 and 13 of the ECOWAS revised treaty 1993, the ECOWAS Parliament comprises 115 seats.