Francis Emem,Abuja
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has elected the first female speaker in the history of the regional legislative arm.
The new Speaker of the Community Parliament, Memounatou Ibrahima, from Togo was elected at the 2024 Second Extraordinary Session of the Sixth Legislature of the Community Parliament in Kano.
She emerged speaker due to the rotation of the speakership of the Community Parliament in alphabetical order in accordance with the provision of Supplementary Act on Enhancement of Power,as the position of the fifth Legislature of ECOWAS Parliament was held by Sierra Leone.
Ibrahima was the third Deputy Speaker in the fifth Legislature of ECOWAS Parliament. She has been in the ECOWAS Parliament since 2021.
She is taking up the baton from the Nigerian leader of delegation, Senator Barau Jubrin, who was elected the First Deputy Speaker at the inauguration of the sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament on April 4, 2024, and had to act as the Speaker to avoid creating vacuum of leadership at the Community Parliament,
During the inauguration of the sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS on April 4, 2024, the delegation of the Republic of Togo was not present because they had not conducted election to enable the country send their representatives to the Community Parliament.
Ibrahima was announced as Speaker after her parliamentary colleagues from Togo presented her as the choice for the position from their country. She was subsequently returned unopposed and was elected.
Ibrahima was immediately presented with the instrument of authority, the gavel, by the Acting Speaker, Nigeria’s Senator Jibrin.