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.
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