Tinubu emerges ECOWAS chairman

President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, has been elected as the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS).

President Tinubu was elected chairman at the 63rd Ordinary Session of the regional bloc held on Sunday afternoon in Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau.

After receiving his handover documents from the outgoing chairman and President Umaro Embaló of  Guinea-Bissau, Tinubu said, “We will take democracy seriously, Democracy is very tough but it is the form of government.”

The ECOWAS chairmanship position is held by one of the heads of state or government of the member countries, chosen on a rotating basis for a one-year tenure.

Recall that former President Muhammadu Buhari held the position from 2018 to 2019.

The chairman of ECOWAS plays a strategic role in conflict resolution, and advocacy and liaises with the President of the ECOWAS Commission, the executive responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of ECOWAS policies and decisions.

Earlier, a media aide to the president, Bayo Onanuga had disclosed that President Tinubu would be elected chairman today (Sunday).

Tinubu, departed Nigeria on Saturday for the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS in Guinea-Bissau.

Onanuga stated, “Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will become the new ECOWAS chairman today, succeeding President Umaro Embalo of Guinea Bissau, who became chairman on 4 July 2022, at the 61st summit in Accra.

“Tinubu’s leadership will be announced in Bissau today at the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).”