Coups : Tinubu shares his suggestions with ECOWAS leaders

Members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have been urged by President Bola Tinubu to stay dedicated to making sure that democracy continues to be the only system of government in the subregion.

At the 64th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of the Heads of State and Government, which is being held at the State House in Abuja, President Tinubu, in his capacity as Chairman, urged the leaders to defend democracy and resist unconstitutional changes in member state governance.

But he underlined that in order to ensure short-term, workable transition plans that can bring about democracy and decent governance, it is imperative that we re-engage with nations ruled by the military.

Leaders from West Africa are gathering for talks with the area amid a worsening crisis, as four countries have come under military control and the dangers posed by terrorist battles in the Sahel are increasing.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) group has seen attempted coups in recent weeks in Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone, following coups in 2020 in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger.

A military pullout by France from the Sahel, an area of Africa along the Sahara desert, is raising fears that hostilities may expand south to the Gulf of Guinea republics of Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Ivory Coast.

ECOWAS commission president Omar Touray stated in a meeting held prior to the summit that “these military coups are not only based on fake narrative and false justifications; they are also a driver of insecurity in the region.”