By George Mgbeleke
Senate on Wednesday said that the
emergence of President Bola Tinubu as the new chairman, Economic Community of West Africa States, ECOWAS, would promote peace and conflict resolution, democracy and good governance, and foster economic cooperation in the sub-region.
The upper chamber , in a motion congratulating President Tinubu over the exalted position, noted that his emergence as the ECOWAS chairman “is a testimony of his avowed commitment to good governance promised Nigeria, which the policies and decisions taken so far are yielding results and beginning to reposition our economy.”
Sponsor of the motion and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North), said that by clinching the position on his first participation at such high level meeting of ECOWAS barely two months after his inauguration as president, the sub-regional body has reposed great confidence in the leadership qualities of Tinubu and reaffirms Nigeria’s leadership role on the African continent generally and the sub-region in particular.
As the ECOWAS chairman, he said “President Bola Tinubu is in a strategic and vantage position to uphold ECOWAS protocol, which is to promotion of peace and conflict resolution within the West African sub-region, promote democracy and good governance, strengthen collective response to security threats within the sub-region, and generally foster economic cooperation among ECOWAS member states.”
Senator Barau added that “as a master strategist, mobilizer and globally respected politician, ECOWAS is blessed to have him (Tinubu) in the position of chairman and his wealth of experience will be brought to bear on the implementation of policies of ECOWAS to bring a lasting peace and economic prosperity within the West African sub-region.”
He also said Tinubu’s emergence as the ECOWAS chairman “is a testimony of his avowed commitment to good governance promised Nigeria, which the policies and decisions taken so far are yielding results and beginning to reposition our economy.”
The Deputy Senate President noted that since the establishment of ECOWAS in 1975, Nigeria has played key leadership roles, particularly in the promotion of sub-regional security, defence to democracy and human rights, economic integration and collective response to security within the sub-region.
He maintained that the ECOWAS, under the chairmanship of Tinubu, is better placed in the discharge of these mandates among others.
All senators, who contributed to the motion, congratulated Tinubu on the exalted position, describing it as a great honour to Nigeria.
In its resolutions, the Senate agreed to send a delegation comprising its leadership to pay congratulatory visit to President Tinubu over his emergence as the chairman, ECOWAS at the recently concluded 63rd Ordinary Session of the authority of Heads of State and Government of the sub-regional body held in Bissau, capital of Guinea-Bissau.
The Red Chamber also felicitated with all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria “on this great honour and privilege position of the chairman of ECOWAS clinched by President Bola Tinubu recently.”
