ECOWAS Parliament Defers Debate on Gambia’s Polls
The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu has urged restraint from all stakeholders as the ECOWAS Parliament deferred debate on the ECOWAS Commission’s non-participation in Gambia’s Presidential poll of 24th November 2011 to the next ordinary session of the parliament.
Ekweremadu made the call at the closing of the 1st extraordinary session of the parliament in Abuja on Wednesday 14th Dec 2011.
At the session, leader of the Gambian delegation to the parliament, Hon. Paul Almende moved a motion praying the community Parliament to condemn the decision of the commission not to send election observers to the Gambia’s Presidential election. The matter was referred to the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Political Affairs, Peace and Security for consideration which in its interim report to Plenary requested for more time to obtain useful information and documentation from the Commission before discussing the issue in view of the delicate nature and stakes it represents as a precedent and requested the Plenary to defer consideration of the issue to the next ordinary session to enable it gather more information and subsequently, more exchanges with stakeholders.
Ekweremadu said: “On the failure of ECOWAS Commission to send election observers to the Gambia’s 24th Nov, 2011 Presidential election, a matter on which the Gambian delegation to the Community Parliament tabled a motion before us. I wish to commend the sense of maturity, which you have all shown so far. As you are aware, the matter has been referred to the Standing Committee on Political Affairs for more fact finding. It is my candid advice therefore, that honourable members of parliament should continue to exercise restraint until we have the full picture and all the vital information to be able to make more informed comments on the issue. It is my hope that parliament can open debate on the motion in our next ordinary session.”
The speaker recalled that one of the major thrusts of the extra ordinary session was to enable members of the parliament to interface with the commission on its various programmes and activities. This was achieved as the Commission’s sectoral Commissioners in charge of Agriculture; Environment and Water Resources, Administration and Finance, Infrastructure, Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Gender and Human Development as well as Macroeconomic Policies briefed the Parliament. “I have no doubt that this has resulted in huge symbiotic benefits to both the parliament and the commission. I am also hopeful that honourable parliamentarians would utilize the information and ideas exchanged here in the course of their legislative work, while Standing Committees are expected to follow through on issues and leads arising from the presentations,” he added.
The extra ordinary session also considered and adopted reports of the various committees on the Referrals sent to the parliament by the commission. The Referrals pertain to the implementation of the Yamassoukor Accord on air transport aimed at promoting the free movement of people, goods, and services and that on telecommunications geared towards enhancing and streamlining interstate cooperation towards removal of policy and legal encumbrances in the improvement of telecommunication through submarine cables.
The parliament in its desire to closer and mobilise the people of the sub region to contribute meaningfully towards the realization of it programmes, adopted a work programme of proposed delocalized meetings to be held outside Abuja, Nigeria in the first quarter of 2012.
The final report of the parliament’s ad hoc committee on enhancement of powers of the community Parliament is expected to be tabled at the next session
