The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has made history by electing Hajiya Maimounatou Ibrahima as its first female Speaker.
Ibrahima was unanimously chosen on Thursday during the 2024 Second Extraordinary Session of the Sixth Legislature, held in Kano.
Presided over by Senator Barau Jibrin, Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President and First Deputy Speaker of the Legislature, the plenary session saw a celebratory atmosphere as over 112 members of parliament participated in the election.
Female parliamentarians broke into solidarity songs to mark the occasion.
In her acceptance speech, Ibrahima, who hails from Togo, pledged to implement significant reforms to enhance the parliament’s effectiveness in fulfilling its mandate.
She highlighted the political and security challenges facing the ECOWAS region, including high unemployment, climate change, and the resurgence of terrorism in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
To address these issues, she announced the creation of a mediation committee aimed at resolving conflicts and promoting unity.
Additionally, Ibrahima emphasised the importance of developing skills among women and youth to combat radicalization and planned to establish a communication policy to foster interaction between the parliament and the public.
She expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Barau Jibrin, and Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for their hospitality.
