Legal Battle Looms: 40 Nigerian Lawmakers Face Seat Disqualification for Holding Dual NASS, ECOWAS Parliament Memberships

In a recent development, concerns have arisen over the status of 40 National Assembly members who concurrently hold memberships in the National Assembly, ECOWAS Parliament, and the Pan-African Parliament, along with receiving emoluments from all three positions. Among these legislators are prominent figures such as Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Acting Speaker of the ECOWAS sixth legislature, Ali Ndume, Natasha Uduaghan, Mustapha Saliu, Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives Philip Agbese, and Mshelia Haruna.

This situation stems from a lawsuit filed against the legislators by the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting transparency and accountability in governance. ALDRAP asserts that holding multiple parliamentary positions simultaneously violates Nigerian constitutional provisions and international agreements, including Article 18 of the Supplementary Act of the ECOWAS Parliament, 2017.

Despite ALDRAP’s formal complaint and subsequent pre-action notice to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, urging the declaration of the affected lawmakers’ seats as vacant, no action has been taken. The organization has threatened legal action if its demands are not met within a specified timeframe.

In its legal pursuit, ALDRAP seeks judicial clarification on whether members of the National Assembly can hold seats in the ECOWAS Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament without resigning from their current positions. Additionally, it calls for the discontinuation of salaries and benefits to the lawmakers in question and the organization of bye-elections to fill the vacated seats.

The crux of ALDRAP’s argument lies in its belief that legislators serving in multiple parliaments neglect their duties to their constituents, thereby undermining the democratic process. This contention gains significance in light of the recent inauguration of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament, where Nigerian delegates play a prominent role.

Despite these developments, the position of substantive speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament remains vacant due to the absence of the Togolese delegation at the inaugural session. Meanwhile, Nigerian Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau assumes the role of Acting Speaker pending the election of a permanent successor.

The outcome of this legal battle holds implications not only for the affected lawmakers but also for the integrity of Nigeria’s parliamentary system and its commitment to regional and continental cooperation within the ECOWAS and Pan-African frameworks.