Ekweremadu: Days Of Military Coup Over In West Africa
ABUJA, August 16, (THEWILL) - Deputy President of the Senate and also Speaker ECOWAS Parliament, Ike Ekweremadu in Abuja on Tuesday declared that violent or military that takeover of governments in West Africa sub-region are over.
He warned coup plotters and those nursing such ambition to forget it as no such would succeed again in the sub-region.
Senator Ekweremadu who was elected the Speaker of the sub-regional Parliament last week further declared that any attempt to truncate democracy in the sub-region through coups and unconstitutional governments would be resisted.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Inaugural Session of the Third Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament informed that ECOWAS parliament is working towards making its members elected directly through universal suffrage.
He added that the sub- regional body would not tolerate any bad governance in the region noting that no more chance for blemished electoral processes which are the parent of instability and underdevelopment.
“Let me use this opportunity to categorically throw the total weight of the ECOWAS Parliament behind the declaration by the Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government that coups and unconstitutional government are unacceptable in the West Africa. As far as this parliament is concerned, any such attempt is dead on arrival.
“This parliament will continue to work to sustain democracy, good governance, and development in the sub-region.
“The community will ensure that the sub-region consolidates the path of zero tolerance for bad governance, injustice, impunity, corruption, coup d’états and blemished electoral processes which are the parent of instability and underdevelopment.
“There were strong messages indicating clear commitments towards enhancing the powers of this parliament by making it law making as well as getting its members elected directly through universal suffrage. These steps, if adopted, will make the parliament stronger, more relevant and influential in the integration process in our region.”