The National Assembly played a significant role in urging the Nigerian government to sign the Samoa Agreement, according to a report by Premium Times.
Documents obtained by the newspaper revealed that the legislature not only supported but actively lobbied for the signing of the Agreement.
In a surprising twist, despite recent moves by the House to suspend the Samoa Agreement’s implementation, a letter from the National Assembly to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, highlighted its initial endorsement.
The letter, dated May 9, 2024, signed by Muhammed Argungu on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Tambawal, explicitly requested the government to finalize the Agreement and settle all pending dues to the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States and European Union, Joint Parliamentary Assembly (OACPS-EU-JPA).
The National Assembly’s lobbying was motivated by the opportunity for a Nigerian lawmaker to secure a position within the parliamentary wing of the OACPS-EU-JPA.
The letter reads in part, “The Leader of the Nigerian Delegation was nominated during the meetings to represent West Africa in the Bureau of the Regional Assembly. Regrettably, her nomination was, however, stepped down because Nigeria had not signed the Samoa Agreement and also due to Nigeria’s indebtedness.
“Accordingly, the Honourable Minister is requested to kindly consider the above and put in place machinery for signing the agreement and payment of the accumulated subscriptions to the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States and European Union (OACPS) to avoid the Nigerian delegation to the meetings being subjected to ridicule.”
The letter’s content contradicts the claim by many lawmakers that they were not involved in negotiating and ultimately signing the Agreement.
