From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The First Deputy Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Senator Barau Jibrin, has explained how the doctrine of necessity restored order to the regional parliament.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the inaugural session of the 6th Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, Barau recalled that an integral part of the events that should have characterized the inaugural session of the Parliament, which was the election of the Speaker, did not happen due to the absence of the Togolese delegation who, by virtue of the Supplementary Act, should assume the speakership of the 6th Legislature.
“I seize this opportunity to express our solidarity with the Togolese Delegation and pledge the full support of this Parliament in insuring that the Togolese Representatives are inaugurated as soon as possible, which will ultimately lead to the election of new Speaker.
“Nevertheless, I extol the wisdom of this house and the processes that led to the election of the Four Honourable Deputy Speakers. The application of the Doctrine of Necessity was necessary to restore order to this house and uphold the sanctity of our cherished institution,” Barau said.
The Deputy Senate President however expressed gratitude to the Bureau of Age and the Honourable Speaker Pro-Tempore for exercising leadership.
Barau also thanked all the Members of the Parliament for supporting the process to the fullest.
“The action taken by this Parliament, marks the beginning of what I foresee to be a united Parliament that speaks with one voice in the interest of our community.
“Honourable Members of the 6th Legislature, we will be counting on your efforts, contributions, and, above all, effective presence at our deliberations as we get things going. Your passion, dedication, and commitment to achieving the objectives of the Parliament will enable us to make ECOWAS an ECOWAS of peoples where peace and prosperity reign for all,” Barau added.
Barau further congratulated the selection committee, which worked hard to establish fourteen standing committees that were concise and balanced in language, gender, and nationality.
“Congratulations also to the Committee on Drafting the Rules of Procedure of the Sixth Legislature, which will be our guide and guard for this new era.
“Our responsibilities are heavy, and we must be aware of them and remain totally faithful to our commitments. That’s why we need to work together with intelligence, rigour, and determination to meet the major challenges that lie ahead,” Barau stated.
Barau also told the Members of the ECOWAS Parliament that the mission they have been assigned is enormous, but very exciting because it involved putting themelves at the service of the community to ensure its prosperity and emergence.
“As you well know, we have deliberately chosen to be on this front. So, let’s join forces beyond our differences to remain true to our commitments and make history with our term of office. Therefore, let us work resolutely to produce concrete and valuable results for ECOWAS,” Barau further said.