Nigeria has released a list of 35 delegates that will represent the country at the ECOWAS Parliament.
The release of the list is coming as the inaugural session of the 5th Legislature of the sub-regional parliament holds in Niamey, Niger Republic,
A list of delegates from the 15 member states obtained by our correspondent showed that majority of the former Nigerian representatives would not be present in the new legislature.
Top on the list of the Nigerian representatives is Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Idris.
Others include Senators Ajayi Boroffice, Emmanuel Bwacha, Ibrahim Gobir, Smart Adeyemi, Obinna Ogba and Biodun Olujimi.
Others are members of the House of Representatives Umeoji Michael, Saleh Gabriel Zock, Isah Murtala, Ibrahim Auyo, Abdullahi Umar Kamba, Haruna Mshelia and Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu.
NAN reports that at the 25th session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, which held in Dakar, Senegal on December 21 and 22, 2001, it was decided that Abuja should be the headquarters of the parliament.
The Protocol provided for 120 seats in parliament, with each of the then 16 member states being guaranteed a minimum of five seats and the remaining 40 seats allocated on the basis of population.
After the state of Mauritania announced that it would pull out of ECOWAS in 1999, the parliamentary seats were reduced to 115.
Consequently, Nigeria has 35 seats, Ghana eight seats, Cote d’Ivoire seven seats, while Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger Republic and Senegal have six seats each.
The others – Benin Republic, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo – have five seats each.
See full list of Nigerian representatives:
Sen. Ajayi Boroffice
Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha
Sen. Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u
Sen. Tolu Odebiyi
Sen. Ibrahim Gobir
Sen. Smart Adeyemi
Sen. Danladi Sankara
Sen. Emmanuel Oke-Jev
Sen. Obinna Ogba
Sen. Lekan Mustapha
Sen. Godiya Akwashiki
Sen. Ezenwa Onyewuchi
Sen. Sandy Onor
Sen. Biodun Olujimi
Sen. Mohammed Ali Ndume
Sen. Saidu Alkali
Sen. Francis Alimikhena
Hon. Ahmed Idris
Hon. Umeoji Michael
Hon. Saleh Gabriel Zock
Hon. Oghene Egoh
Hon. Nasir Gabasawa
Hon. Isah Murtala
Hon. Ibrahim Auyo
Hon. Abdullahi Umar Kamba
Hon. Haruna Mshelia
Hon. Lynda Chuba Ikeazu
Hon. Kolawole Taiwo
Hon. Bamidele Salam
Hon. Bashir Dawodu
Hon. Haruna Maitala
Hon. Abiante Dagomie
Hon. Bayo Balogun
Hon. Taiwo Adewale
Hon. Abdullahi Balarabe Silame
A new Speaker, Deputy Speakers and other members of the Bureau are expected to be sworn in at the opening session currently holding in Niamey.