PAP Bureau election modalities released

The Office of Legal Counsel of the African Union (OLC) has released the modalities for the election of the Bureau members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) scheduled to hold on 28 to 29 June, 2022.

It would be recalled that the election of the Bureau of PAP was suspended on 01 June 2021 following disagreement on the principle of rotation in the election of the President with the Northern and Southern regions insisting that they were the only two regions that are eligible to present candidates for the election. Both the Western Region (Mali) and Eastern Region (South Sudan) presented candidates for president even when Mali was under suspension by the African Union.

Under the modalities, only the Northern and Southern Regions are eligible to present candidates for election as President of the Parliament in line with Executive Council Decision EX.CL/1128(XXXIX) of 14 – 15 October, 2021 which directed that only regions that have not previously held the position are eligible to present candidates for election of the PAP President through their Regional Caucuses.

The candidatures of the election of the office of the President or Vice President shall be submitted to the OLC under the prescribed Nomination Form not later than six (6) hours before the time fixed for the election.

For the position of President, the Northern and Southern Regions shall present one candidate each. The Northern and Southern Regions shall also nominate two candidates each for the post of Vice President.

However, a region that is elected for the post of President shall automatically withdraw its candidates from the election of First Vice President.

The remaining three regions shall nominate two candidates each for the posts of Vice President, ensuring equal representation of men and women. The order to be used to elect the Bureau taking into account, the past composition of the Bureau shall be:

• ·         President:                  Northern or Southern Region.
• ·         First Vice President:     Northern or Southern Region.
• Second Vice President: Eastern Region
• ·Third Vice President:    Western Region
• ·    Fourth Vice President:  Central Region.   

Parliamentarians whose countries are under AU sanction for non-payment of statutory contributions or unconstitutional changes of government in accordance with Articles 23 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union shall not be eligible to vote.

Due to the absence of the PAP Bureau and guided by Article 14(1) of the PAP Protocol, the plenary session shall be presided by the Chairperson of the Union until the election of the President who shall thereafter preside.