Former Nigerian Senator and Presidential Liaison, Ita Enang, has called on the ECOWAS Parliament to move beyond its “part-time” status and conduct a rigorous audit of how member states specifically Nigeria domesticate regional treaties.
​Speaking at ECOWAS Parliament summit in Abuja, Enang argued that the current structure of the legislature hinders its effectiveness, estimating that the body has achieved only 20% of its intended potential.
​Questioning Nigeria’s Treaty Status
​A central theme of Enang’s address was the legal validity of international agreements within domestic frameworks. He specifically pointed to Section 12 of the Nigerian Constitution, which requires the National Assembly to enact specific domestic laws before any treaty becomes binding.
​Enang recommended that the ECOWAS Court of Justice issue a formal declaration on whether Nigeria has properly ratified its accession to the ECOWAS Parliament and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
​”I have specifically recommended that the question of Nigeria and the accession to the treaties be taken to the ECOWAS Court to determine whether Nigeria… has properly ratified the treaties to make it a party,” Enang stated, noting that without perfect domestication, legal challenges could arise regarding a country’s obligations.
​The Case for a Full-Time Parliament
​Drawing on his 26 years of legislative experience, Enang criticized the “stopgap” measure of pulling representatives from national parliaments to serve in the regional body. He observed that Nigerian legislators often juggle ECOWAS duties with intense domestic schedules, such as budget hearings, leading to inconsistent attendance and focus.
​”You can’t do it effectively part by part,” Enang said. “If you make it a full-time legislature… they would have sat in their houses, planned what they need to do in Ivory Coast, what they need to do about Niger, what they need to do about Nigeria.”
​He proposed a “sunset clause” that would give member states a one-to-two-year deadline to comply with supplementary acts requiring the direct election of ECOWAS Parliament members.
​Clarifying “Trumpism” and Trade
​Addressing previous comments regarding President Donald Trump, Enang clarified that he never advocated for adopting “Trumpism” as a political ideology. Instead, he suggested that Africa should view Trump’s protectionist tariff policies as a “challenge” to foster self-sufficiency.
​”I said that we should take it as a challenge for us to produce more… to produce more in Africa, inter-trade more on Africa,” he explained.
​Defending the Legislature
​Enang concluded by acknowledging the global trend of treating legislatures as “unnecessary interventions” or mere “debating clubs.” He emphasized that for the ECOWAS Parliament to shed this image, it must ensure that ratification processes are legally sound, as it is that very ratification that “opens your market to the other nation states.”
