ECOWAS Backs Nigeria’s Candidate To Ensure ‘Good Governance’ In Africa

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is backing Nigeria’s candidate to occupy the position of African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) which is saddled with the responsibility of advocating or ensuring good governance among member states.

This was contained in a final communique (dated February 2) from the virtual Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority Of Heads Of State And Government, seen by THE WHISTLER.

The session was attended by Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and about 14 West African presidents or their representatives.

They agreed to allow the nation fill that pivotal role for the region and for the African union.

“The Authority decides to prioritize support for the candidature of Nigeria to the post of Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security. Summit decided that the second Commissioner position to be allocated to the West Africa Region will be filled by Burkina Faso, taking into account the gender parity,” the communique partly read.

Checks by our correspondent on the ECOWAS website showed that the duty of PAPS is to “facilitate the implementation of the protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security of 1999 as well as the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, including the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF).”

Also, the ECOWAS Authority ignored Nigeria but selected Senegal to contest for the chairmanship of the African Union by 2022.

“The Authority nominates the Republic of Senegal as ECOWAS candidate to chair the African Union for the 2022 – 2023 period.

“It instructs the President of the ECOWAS Commission to take the necessary steps to immediately notify the African Union Commission of the nomination,” it stated.