ECOWAS Parliament gets first female speaker
The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has elected first female speaker, Rt. Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima, in the history of the regional legislature.
Memounatou Ibrahima, a Togolese, was elected at the ongoing 2024 Second Extraordinary Session of the Sixth Legislature of the Community Parliament, in Kano.
She emerged the speaker, following rotation of the speakership of the Community Parliament in alphabetical order in accordance with the provision of Supplementary Act on Enhancement of Power.
The position of Speaker in the fifth Legislature of ECOWAS Parliament was held by Rt. Hon. Sidie Mohammed Tumis from Sierra Leone.
Rt. Hon. Ibrahima was the third Deputy Speaker in the fifth Legislature of ECOWAS Parliament and she has been in the ECOWAS Parliament since 2021.
She takes over the position 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 4th 2024 and had to act as the Speaker to avoid creating a vacuum of leadership at the Community Parliament.
During the inauguration of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS on April 4th 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.
