Buhari elected ECOWAS chairman; pledges to take organisation to greater heights

macfranc007 August 01, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Nurudeen Lawal

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, July 31, emerged the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

He was elected at the 53rd ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Lome, Togo.

The president's personal assistant on new media, Bashir Ahmad, disclosed this in a message posted on his Twitter handle, @BashirAhmaad.

He wrote: “President Muhammadu Buhari has been elected the new Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the just concluded ECOWAS Summit in Lome, Togo.

"The announcement was made shortly after a closed session of Heads of State of the Commission."

In his acceptance remarks, President Buhari, 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.”

“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," he, however, told his fellow leaders.

In a statement signed by Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, President Buhari also 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.

The new chairman 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.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that a support group, Coalition Of Anambra Youth For Buhari (CAYB), expressed gratitude to Senator Andy Uba for facilitating the release of N37.95billion out of the N43billion owed his home state of Anambra for the repair and rehabilitation of federal roads and other intervention funds on federal government projects in the state by the federal government.

This was made known by CAYB chairman, Martin Chukwu through a press release sent on Monday, July 30.

Chukwu noted that the amount will go a long way in improving the living standard and well-being of the state, stressing that it further demonstrates the fact that President Buhari means well for the people of the Southeast region.

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