Nigerian lawmakers accuse ECOWAS principal officials of plotting to recruit relatives, cronies
Nigerian representatives at the parliament issued the threat when some principal officers in the regional bloc allegedly defied the directives and embarked on the process of recruiting their relatives and cronies.
The lawmakers cited the huge financial commitments Nigeria makes to the body amid its internal security challenges.
They said there was no commensurate return on investment for Nigeria in ECOWAS, listing that all the country had done and was doing for the region from its inception in 1975.
Leader of the Nigerian delegation and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, said it had become imperative that Nigeria reviewed its relevance and membership of the bloc.
“If you are in a system, and you are not getting the right results, where you are investing your money, it pays best to walk out of the union.
“In a situation where we are having an infrastructure deficit and witnessing security challenges, why should we continue to invest our money where it will not benefit our country?Yes, we will pull out if we don’t get the desired result from this.
“We are asking for justice not just for Nigerians alone, but for the entire ECOWAS community. That is what MPs are asking for. There are a few countries that want to run ECOWAS like a cabal but we will not tolerate that.”
The Nigerian Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Musa Nuhu, also wrote to the speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Tunis, on the alleged nepotistic employment scandal rocking ECOWAS.
The letter from Nuhu was dated July 20, 2022, and entitled, “Formal complaint about unfair treatment and confirmation of staff at ECOWAS parliament.”
It read: “I have the honour to refer to our verbal discussion on the above subject matter and formally inform you that the attention of the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the ECOWAS Commission has been drawn to a number of complaints by Nigerian staff working at the ECOWAS Parliament.
‘’The grievances border on stagnation and overlooking of staff already working in the parliament in favour of outsiders in the ongoing recruitment for divisional heads and professional staff.” Vanguard
