President Buhari Elected New ECOWAS Chairman

By Jide Afolabi

President Muhammadu Buhari has been elected as the new Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS. He was elected today, Tuesday in Lome, Togo.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Sheu. He said that the President’s election was one of the highpoints of the 53rd Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS which held in the Togolese capital.

Garba said “In his acceptance remarks, the Nigerian leader, who commended his colleagues for his election, noted that he did not offer himself for the post, “but you refused to take my no for an answer.”

Buhari told his fellow leaders that, “I am truly humbled and pledge to serve and work with all of you to deliver on peace, security, good governance and socio-economic development” of the sub-region, and “take our organisation to greater heights.”

President Muhammadu Buhari

The President commended his immediate predecessor and President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe for successfully hosting two important meetings of the Joint Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and ECOWAS as well as the 53rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.

As the new Chairman, Buhari had earlier been presented with the Emblem of ECOWAS by the outgoing Chairman, while the next meeting of the organisation will take place in Abuja on December 21, 2018.