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ECOWAS Parliament Calls for Reforms to Address Multiple Crises In Sub-region

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By Gloria Ikibah 
 
 
The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Rt. Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima, has called for rapid reforms within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to address the multiple crises facing the region.
 
 
Speaker Ibrahima who stated this at the opening of the 2024 Third Extra-Ordinary Session and Second Parliamentary Seminar on Tuesday in Lomé, Togo, emphasised the need to rework the bloc’s operations to better tackle issues such as terrorism, floods, violent extremism, and irregular migration.
 
 
According to her, one of the key focuses of the session would be budgetary provisions to fund solutions for these problems. 
 
 
She said, “Our region is ravaged by floods, terrorism, violent extremism, and irregular migration, affecting thousands of our citizens. ECOWAS at 50 must fast-track reforms to consolidate democracy and good governance to realize the vision of the founding fathers.”
 
 
The Speaker also commended President, Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, for his continuous support of regional integration and the empowerment of women. 
 
 
She acknowledged that her historic role as the first female Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament was a reflection of the Togolese President’s dedication to promoting female leadership across all levels.
 
 
Speaker Ibrahima further stated that the ongoing session would allow the regional legislature to adopt the 2025-2027 budget, laying out a financial plan aimed at tackling these challenges through “pragmatic measures” designed to promote peace, stability, and progress across West Africa.
 
 
The session will also assess the implementation of the 2023 budget and review the mid-term budget for 2024 to ensure alignment with the region’s developmental goals.
 
 
Delivering his goodwill message, President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, who was Represented by MacDonald Saye Goanue, Director of Research and Strategic Planning, stressed the importance of strengthening infrastructure and investment across West Africa. 
 
 
He noted that regional cooperation and equitable distribution of economic opportunities are critical to unlocking the region’s potential and fostering competitiveness among member states.
 
 
He said, “West Africa must ensure that the benefits of investments are equitably distributed among its citizens, and together, we can realize the vision of the bloc.”
 
 
Also speaking at the event, Togo’s Minister of Human Rights, Citizenship Training, and Relations with the Institutions of the Republic, Barrister Pacome Yawovi Missiame Amenyo Adjourouvi, expressed concern over the human rights situation in the region. He criticized repressive governments for undermining freedom of speech and stifling protests against unfavorable policies, stressing that protecting human rights is essential for peace and opportunity in West Africa. 
 
 
He stated that full implementation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, alongside gender equality, would bring ECOWAS closer to achieving its objectives.
 
 
The Speaker of the Togolese National Assembly, Sevon-Tepe Kodjo Adedze, who officially opened the session, emphasized the need for the region to push forward with development efforts. He stressed that the ‘ECOWAS Vision 2050’ must prioritize social inclusion, economic integration, and stability, echoing the values championed by Togo’s President, Faure Gnassingbe.
 
 
As ECOWAS approaches its 50th anniversary in 2025, having been established on May 28, 1975, in Lagos, Nigeria, its primary goal has been to foster economic cooperation and development across member states. 
 
 
Naijablitznews.com reports that the regional bloc has also worked to address security concerns through the development of a peacekeeping force, but more recently, ECOWAS has been confronted with significant economic and security challenges, including the increasing trend of youth migration in search of better opportunities, often resulting in perilous journeys across the deserts of North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea.
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BREAKING: Jubilation As PDP Wins All 30 LGs In Osun State(See winners)

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, has announced that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won all the local government and councillorship positions in the just concluded local government elections in the state.

The Chairman of the Commission, Hashim Abioye, made this announcement via a Facebook Live broadcast on Saturday evening.

Abioye stated that PDP candidates secured all the councillorship seats in all 332 wards in the state, as well as the chairmanship elections in all 30 local government council areas.

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The names of the PDP chairmanship candidates and their respective local government council areas:

Babalola Wasiu Kayode – Boripe

Okunade Oluwafemi Adesanya – Egbedore

Adeyenuwo Rotimi John – Ife Central

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Agboola Francis Olajire – Obokun

Azeez Lateef Adeniran – Isokan

Aina Abayomi Adesina – Boluwaduro

Sodiq Samuel Oluwapelumi – Ola Oluwa

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Ajibade Oluwatoyin S. – Irepodun

Adebanjo Oladiti Tunmininu – Ilesa West

Ibironke Alade Adegboye – Atakumosa East

Aroke Muyiwa Aderemi – Ife South

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Kolade Obafemi Kolawole – Olorunda

Moshood Adekunle Kabiru – Iwo

Awotunde Abiodun Sarafadeen – Ifelodun

Akande Taiwo Adekunle – Osogbo

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Dada Feyisayo Ajibola – Atakumosa West

Amodu Taiwo – Ede North

Atolagbe Kayode Olayinka – Ifedayo

Akande Michael O. – Ife North

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Adeyekun Taiwo Adebayo – Oriade

Adeniran Adenike Felicia – Ayedaade

Afolabi Oyekola Lukman – Ede South

Odunyemi Haruna Bukola – Ife East

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Jooda Ambali Babajide – Irewole

Adewale Adeyinka Oluwaseun – Odo Otin

Ogunbiyi Solomon Akinyemi – Ayedire

Raimi Adenike Nafisat – Ejigbo

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Adebisi Jayeola Nasir – Ila

Ilesanmi Taiwo Sunday – Ilesa East

Alade Aderemi Fatai – Orolu

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DSS arrests three for assaulting operatives during LSHA crisis

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested three persons linked to the alleged assault on its officers during the crisis that rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly, following the removal Mudashiru Obasa, as Speaker

Apparently sensing danger, some lawmakers had mobilized their supporters to the Assembly Complex, but these supporters allegedly attacked some DSS officers who were invited by the Assembly leadership to secure the facility. Security sources revealed that “after extensive analysis of CCTV footage, we were able to clearly identify three of the suspects”.
“The suspects, Ibrahim Olanrewaju Abdulkareem, a photographer and two others attached to the Assembly’s Seargent at Arms, Adetu Adekunle Samsudeen and Adetola Oluwatosin Fatimoh, a lady, were consequently tracked and arrested during the week in different parts of Lagos,” The trio have since confessed to the crime and will soon be charged to court, the source said.

It would be recalled that the Lagos Assembly had in a leaked memo dated 14th February, 2025 and addressed to the DSS Director in the State, and Heads of other Security Agencies in Lagos State, told the Security Agencies in Lagos that, there was credible information to the effect that, Obasa had planned to forcefully reinstate himself today, February 18, 2025.
Accordingly, the Assembly management, held the view that, the development posed “a potential security threat” to it and its members.

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Police seal OSSIEC office, officials nabbed, says chairman

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, has claimed that the police have sealed off the headquarters in Osogbo.

In a video post on the OSSIEC X handle, Abioye accused the police of also arresting election officials and blocking journalists from covering the local government election.

According to him, several OSSIEC officials were detained while on their way to polling units on Saturday.

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Attempts by our correspondent to reach Abioye for further details proved abortive as his telephone line was switched off.

The OSSIEC chair, in the post, assured voters that materials had been deployed to affected areas.

So far so good, the reports have been positive and the conduct has been very smooth and peaceful as against the false alarm raised by the police. Everywhere is calm,” Abioye said.

“The only thing is that in some of the areas in which materials are supposed to have arrived for voters to cast their votes, we had reports of police arresting our officials.

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“I don’t know on whose order because there is no court order that warranted the arrest of officers of our officials.

“As it is, we have deployed materials to those units because we have enough on the ground.

For our people in the media community, I want to apologise for the inadequacy of the tags and the jackets because we have enough but the police sealed our office and that was not warranted at all.”

Abioye’s comments come after police had called for the local government election to be called off by the state government, citing a security threat.

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In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Friday, the Police said it received credible intelligence indicating a likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned elections proceed.

The police explained that reports gathered from joint intelligence gathering revealed that various groups, including political elements and other interested parties, are mobilising to instigate unrest, disrupt public peace and undermine the democratic order.

However, the Osun State government acknowledged the police’s advice but insisted on going on with the election.

Channels Television reports that the election eventually went on as scheduled on Saturday.

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