VOICE YOUR VOTE Nigeria

The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament Rt. Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima and Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar   The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament Rt. Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima, paid a visit to the Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar in Abuja on Friday 30th May 2025, their conversation centered on how the West African region can exercise control over the smooth implementation of the Abidjan –Lagos corridor, which aims to boost economic activities across five cities in the region, and Pursue a joint partnership with the Nigerian government to advance the project. The Minister Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar while speaking to the Press, highlighted the vital role of the ECOWAS Parliament in driving regional integration and development. "As the democratic voice of the people, the ECOWAS Parliament is central to our region's economic transformation," he said. "The Abidjan-Lagos Corridor is not just a road-it's a cat...

Presented at the First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament, in Abuja On Saturday 24th May 2025 the 5th day of Plenary seatings of the First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament held in Abuja, Nigeria. Country reports were presented by Hon. Abiante Awaji-Inombek, Hon. Veronica K. Sesay and Hon. Alhagie S. Darbo for Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia respectively. These reports highlighted key developments in political governance, security, human rights, health, socio-economic conditions, and progress toward the implementation of ECOWAS protocols and convergence criteria. Nigeria Hon. Abiante emphasized that Nigeria continues to make steady progress in promoting good governance and upholding the rule of law. He said that the country’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and inclusive development was underscored. He reiterated Nigeria’s firm belief in regional solidarity as a pillar of strength, affirming the nation’s readiness to work hand-in...

ECOWAS Marks Milestone year as Parliament Tackles Breakaway States and Future Vision The First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament for 2025 opened in Abuja on Tuesday 20th May, with a warm call for unity, reflection, and decisive action as the region faces significant geopolitical shifts and prepares to mark its 50th anniversary.   Speaking at the opening ceremony, the president of the ECOWAS Commission H.E. DR. Omar Alieu Touray Gave a warm welcome to the delegates from member states, expressing gratitude to Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the government, and the people of Nigeria for their hospitality and support in hosting the 1st Ordinary session.  The address highlighted two pivotal developments shaping the regional bloc’s agenda: the formal withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS, and the upcoming celebration of ECOWAS’ Golden Jubilee. In response to the Sahel trio’s exit, ECOWAS has developed a holistic negotiation strategy, ...

His Excellence Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas,the head of the ECOWAS Observation Mission to Sierra Leone "Atmosphere of the polling stations was generally peaceful with security agents present in 92% of the polling stations where we visited". He also said that 37% of the polling stations observed, commenced it's operation within the first hour, while 63% of cases of polling started with considerable delays due to the late arrival of ECSL staff and polling materials. He made this known in a statement on Monday 26 June, 2023, at a joint press conference organized by ECOWAS, AU and Commonwealth Observation Missions to Sierra Leone held at Bintumani hotel, Freetown. The Articles 12 and 13 of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance mandates the ECOWAS Commission to provide assistance to member states conducting elections . . . . He explained based on the above mentioned articles(12 and 13) that Commission provided capacity building for stakeholders o...

June 1, 2023 was a very dark day for my country and for all Senegalese. I would say even more, all over the world, all the friends of our country are certainly unhappy to see terrible images reaching them. I can assure you that I am deeply hurt by what happened on June 1, 2023. However, it is not because I am gripped by these tragedies, this incredible violence, these deaths that I do not wonder why. and does not reflect on what to do so that serenity regains the upper hand over hatred, violence, horrors, the lack of lucidity, and the obtuse blindness of all of us Our country was not built without violence or without violent conflict. Democracy was established through protests and street fights. Even in the party that is mine, the PS, nothing has always been done without deep dissension and sometimes violence. This is why I would like to speak to my fellow citizens as a member of the PS, elected from my region, and above all a deputy and therefore a legislator to say first of all ...

written By VYVG correspondent   ECOWAS Parliament held its 2023 First Ordinary Session in Abuja on 8th May, 2023. During the Session, it is expected that the Community Reports of the sub-region will be presented by the President of the ECOWAS Commission H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray while the Country Reports will be presented by the fifteen member Countries of the subregion in the Plenary. Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso are on Suspension from the activities of ECOWAS due to the unaccepted transition of power in those countries. Ten out of the twelve remaining member countries presented their reports, while Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone could not present their report during the 2023 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament; All efforts made by our team to ascertain why the two countries were not able to present their country reports were futile, bearing in mind that Sierra Leone is the Home Country of the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament. The Country Report consists of...