Bola Tinubu, the newly elected ECOWAS Chairperson, reiterated the group’s commitment to democracy as the best form of government on Sunday.
The president of Nigeria, who was in Bissau with other leaders of West Africa, pledged toughness in the face of coups.
Since 2020, there have been a total of five coups in three of the 15-member bloc’s member states.
“Without democracy, there’s no governance, there’s no freedom, there’s no rule of law. We will not allow coup after coup in West Africa sub-region,” He declared to thunderous applause.
According to a press release from Dele Alake, the president’s special adviser on communications, strategy, and special duties, which was made available to Anadolu, Tinubu warned that the threat to peace in the sub-region had grown alarmingly serious due to terrorism and an emerging pattern of military takeover, necessitating immediate and coordinated action.
He claimed that the region’s progress and development were being hampered by insecurity and subdued terrorism.
With a promise that frameworks would be harmonized under his leadership to make the aspirations of ECOWAS a reality, Tinubu urged member states to act collectively.
The president pointed out that ECOWAS had created a security architecture that included both kinetic and non-kinetic activities, as well as preventive diplomacy, and covered a wide variety of topics. Additionally, there is the operationalization of the ECOWAS Standby Force on the Fight Against Terrorism as well as the Regional Plan of Action on the Fight Against Terrorism 2020-2024.
On his election as chairman in his first time participating at the summit, having just been elected president of Nigeria, Tinubu said he was humbled and honored by the move.
“Indeed, I’m humbled and honored by this trust and want to assure you of my unalloyed commitment to provide the necessary leadership with dedication to serve the interests of the community,” he said.
He declared that he would prioritize political stability, peace and security, regional economic integration, and the strengthening of ECOWAS institutions, declaring that democracy and good governance remain the cornerstone of peace and sustainable development.
While decrying the emerging pattern of coups in West Africa, where soldiers have truncated the popular mandate, Tinubu charged ECOWAS to stand firm in defense of democracy.
“We must stand firm on democracy, he said.”
“There is no one here among us who did not campaign to be a leader. We didn’t give our soldiers resources, we didn’t invest in them, in their boots, in their training to violate the freedom of the people. To turn their guns against civil authorities is a violation of the principles upon which they were hired, which is to defend the sovereignty of their nations. We must not sit in ECOWAS as toothless bulldogs,” he warned.
“We must strengthen our democratic institutions and ensure the respect for human rights and the rule of law.”
The Ecowas Commission chief, Omar Alieu Touray, urged these countries to keep their transition timelines or face sanctions.
