Mali: Ekweremadu Hails ECOWAS, AU

The Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has commended the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States and Government and the international community for the restoration of constitutionalism in Mali.

Senator Ekweremadu reacting to the swearing-in of Speaker of the National Parliament of Mali, Dioncounda Traore as the nation’s interim President, expressed hope that ECOWAS had finally put a full stop to any form of unconstitutional takeover of government in the sub-region.

Ekweremadu who is also the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media Affairs, Uche Anichukwu described the swearing-in as victory for democracy.

“This is good news for democracy and constitutionalism, not just for Mali, but for West Africa and the African continent in general as it demonstrates for the umpteenth time the determination of the community and its citizenry to ensure that power permanently flows from the ballot box in the sub-region and Africa, and never again from the barrels of the gun”, the Speaker said.

He also commended the efforts of members of the international community who supported the ECOWAS and the African Union to bring pressure to bear on the coup leaders in accordance with the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

He  called on the interim President, Hon. Dioncounda Troare to mobilise all resources and goodwill to ensure peace and stability in Mali and ensure a peaceful handover to a democratically elected President.

“While the first part of this struggle for the protection of democracy has been won, the onus is on Hon. Dioncounda Troare, ECOWAS, AU and indeed members of the international community to ensure a peaceful and transparent election within the stipulated timeframe and to ensure an end is put to the insurrection in Northern Mali to keep the country one,” Ekweremadu stated.

Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina (left), with the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Elizabeth Emuren, addressing a news conference on the recurrence of cases of rape and violence against women in Abuja last Monday