Dr Sidie Mohamed Tunis
By Landing Ceesay
The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament has appealed to Gambians to maintain peace as the 4th December presidential election draws closer.
Dr Sidie Mohamed Tunis made these remarks on 30th September 2021 at a press briefing at the end of a weeklong pre-election fact-finding mission in Banjul. The press briefing took place at the National Assembly of the Gambia.
“I want to appeal to all Gambians and for them to know that there is only one Gambia. We have only one Gambia, and that one Gambia must do everything possible to ensure that Gambia is peaceful. We are all seated here talking about the election coming on the 4th December; we may have our differences but let us also know that without peace we will not be sitting here, without peace we will not be talking about the election. I, therefore, call on everybody especially the political stakeholders to ensure that they guide their utterances. Utterances that will create hate, hate speeches and others that will create problems in this country, they should avoid them,” Dr Sidie Mohamed Tunis said.
During the period, the Hon. Speaker had engagements with key stakeholders in Gambian elections, including the electoral commission, political parties and civil society organisations, among others.
Dr Sidie Mohamed Tunis is a Sierra Leonean and a Member of the Sierra Leonean Parliament is the Speaker of the fifth Legislature ECOWAS Parliament.
As the speaker, Dr Sidie directs the business of the Parliament and its organs; presides over all proceedings of plenary, bureau and conference of Committee Bureaux and conducts the debates of those bodies in accordance with the provisions of the Rules of Procedure; and ensures regular interactions between the Parliament and national parliaments of Member States, according to Chapter IV, Article 24 (2) of the Supplementary Act Relating to the Enhancement of the Powers of the ECOWAS Parliament on the Parliament’s website.
The ECOWAS Parliament, also called the Community Parliament was established under Articles 6 and 13 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty of 1993.
The parliament is one of the Institutions of the regional bloc with the Assembly of Peoples of the Community serving as a forum for dialogue, consultation and consensus for Representatives of the people of West Africa with the aim of promoting regional integration.