NIGERIA’S PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO THE PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT MISSING IN ACTION

Nigeria’s five member delegation to the ongoing Sixth Ordinary Session of the Fourth Parliament of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) is yet to show up six days after the opening Session on Monday May 7, 2018. The only Nigerian parliamentarian that was seen around PAP premises was there to renew his African Union (AU) diplomatic passport at the Office of the Clerk of the Parliament. This indeed leaves much to be desired for a country that prides itself as the giant of Africa.

The Pan African Parliament is the legislative arm and one of AU’s eleven organs with a purpose of representing the African people as set forth in Article 17 of the AU Constitutive Act “to ensure the full participation of African peoples in the development and economic integration of the continent.” It has up to 275 members representing 55 AU member States. There are eleven Permanent Committees and five Regional Caucuses all of which discuss thematic issues and adopt their Rules of Procedure. One of its objectives is to facilitate cooperation among Regional Economic Committees and their Parliamentary fora.

It is important to note that the ongoing Sixth Ordinary Session of the continental Parliament witnessed the election of a new leadership/ Bureau which includes the President and four Vice Presidents representing four of the five regions as the President already represents one. The five Regional Causes namely West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa will also elect the officers to pilot their affairs in the incoming Fifth Parliament. Additionally, the eleven Permanent Committees, the Women’s Caucus, and the Caucus on Youth also elected their officers.

There will also be Presentation and debate on the 2019 Pan African Parliament Budget as well as the Presentation of the 2019 African Union Budget.

The impact of the absence of the Nigerian delegation was mostly felt during the election of the leadership of PAP when the Clerk of the Parliament called on the Nigerian delegation to cast their vote and no one showed up! This was an embarrassing moment for me as a Nigerian in view of the murmuring that followed. This means that the Nigerian delegation played no role in deciding who leads them in the Fifth Session of the Pan African Parliament including the election of the leadership of the West African Regional Caucus and the permanent Committees. This development is totally unacceptable given the leadership role that Nigeria plays in the continent. It is also a sad commentary on how the National Assembly elects its delegation to PAP as parliamentarians from other countries come PAP in South Africa for serious legislative business.

The National Assembly must as a matter of necessity, review its rules on how it elects the delegation to the Pan African Parliament as well as reconstitute its delegation. It must also review how it funds the delegation to ensure meaningful participation at PAP. Nigeria must build on the gains and achievements of H. E. Rt. Hon. Bethel Amadi (OFR), the only Nigerian parliamentarian to have served as the First Vice President and later President of PAP.

Nigeria as the most populous country in Africa with the largest black population in the world is arguably the largest contributor to the AU Budget. As the largest economy in Africa the National Assembly and it’s delegation to PAP must at all times be conscious of these facts and accordingly ensure the funding of that delegation.