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Hon. Dr. Ashebir W. Gayo, the self-imposed Acting President of the Pan African Parliament (PAP)’s futile attempts to cause by-elections at the continental legislative body through a virtual meeting yesterday has been described as a damp squib.
According to Dr. Gayo, the meeting was held to discuss the election modalities for filling vacant positions in the PAP, including the President, 1st Vice President, and 4th Vice President.
Dismissing the meeting as a non-event on microblogging site X, formerly Twitter, Hon Alhagie Mbow, the Member of Parliament of The Gambia and The Pan African Parliament, said reports that Dr. Gayo held a successful virtual meeting calling for by-elections amounted to misinformation.
“This is misinformation. Only the Committee on Rules has the mandate to prepare the grounds for elections and not a one-man bureau. This is a futile exercise to test the intelligence and integrity of the members of Parliament but be assured, we are up for the task. The days of creating chaos for self-centered interests are gone.
“We will do what it takes to ensure we work for the people of Africa but only ethically and respectfully, observing the rules that bound us,” Hon Mbow said.
Veteran Nigerian journalist, Olu Ibekwe reported that the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on 5 October 2023, wrote a letter suspending the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament adopted by the plenary on 04 November 2022 on the grounds of incompatibility with certain provisions of the Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community relating to the Pan-African Parliament (PAP Protocol). He said it is the suspended Rule that made provision for virtual meetings of the Parliament and the 2011 version has no provision for virtual meetings of the Parliament.
A participant said there were less than 30 MPs who attended the virtual meeting based on the screen shared with him.
“There was therefore lack of quorum to conduct any business. The so-called modalities for by-election which should have emanated from the Committee on Rules, Discipline, Ethics, and Privileges were not shared with the MPs before or even during the meeting to ensure an informed discussion. The meeting did not adopt any resolutions,” he said.
Another legal guru said Dr. Gayo’s handlers were not comfortable with the speed of progress by the Pan African Parliament under the able presidency of Chief Fortune Charumbira, especially some of the resolutions adopted to protect the interests of the African continent.
She said it was unfortunate that the African Union Chairperson allowed his office to be used for the hatchet job against Africa. There are unconfirmed reports that the African Union chief needs the support of France to contest to become the President of Chad.
