Senate congratulates Tinubu on emergence as ECOWAS chair

The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday adopted a motion sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, congratulating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his emergence as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Barau, in the motion, drew the attention of the upper legislative chamber to the emergence of President Tinubu as Chairman of ECOWAS at the recently concluded 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS held in Bissau, capital of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

According to him, West African countries have, by the singular act of nominating a Nigerian leader two months after taking the oath of office as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, shown that they have great confidence in Nigeria leading other nations within the subregion.

“Observes that by clinching this influential and strategic position on his very first participation at such a 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 President Bola Tinubu and reaffirms Nigeria’s leadership role on the African continent generally and the sub-region in particular,” he said.

Barau, who represents Kano North Senatorial District, expressed optimism that President Tinubu, in his capacity as ECOWAS leader, would uphold ECOWAS protocol and promote peace and conflict resolution within the subregion.

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In his contribution, the former governor of Abia State and senator representing Abia North senatorial district, Orji Uzor Kalu, urged President Tinubu to encourage ECOWAS countries to stop maltreating Nigerians living and doing legitimate businesses in their countries.

“The emergence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Chairman of ECOWAS is a welcome development for us and I hope he will use his office to protect the interests of Nigerians who are being maltreated in some African countries,” he said.

The senator representing Benue North West senatorial district, Titus Tartenger Zam, urged President Tinubu to make a case against elements intruding into the territory of Nigeria, saying that they were responsible for incessant attacks.

He explained that elements attacking Nigerians are coming from the neighbouring ECOWAS countries, and also from Cameroon.

According to him, “The elevation of the President to the leadership of ECOWAS will give us a privileged platform to address security challenges.”

In his remark, Senate President Godswill Akpabio felicitated with the President and adopted the amended prayers that “principal officers will pay a congratulatory visit to him.”