From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Following the epidemic of coup d’etat on the African continent, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has charged to revise the Protocols on Democracy and Good Governance.
The charge was presented by the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS) and Tournons La Page (TLP), at a press briefing yesterday in Abuja.
The groups admonished West African countries to x-ray and dissect the amendment protocols to ensure that African leaders abide by the terms and conditions, to avert the prevalence of insurrection that appears to be a permanent fixture.
Recall that ECOWAS had embraced the Protocol to ward off military coups and unconstitutional changes of government.
The countries of Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea Bisssau are the latest to be toppled by their respective military forces.
WADEMOS Network Coordinator, Paul Osei-Kuffour, tolds journalists that the advice was needful sequel to the ECOWAS Summit of Heads of States to address democratic decline on the continent.
He said: “Democracy in West Africa has seen a reversal since the last decade. Among the key drivers of democratic and political decline are the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government (UCGs)
“Others are violations of constitutional term limits, and the poor quality of elections conducted in recent times.
“Currently, the region is returning to the earlier days of coups d’état with Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea in transition following military coups in these countries.
“Additionally, there have been a number of successful and unsuccessful attempts at changing constitutions to enable incumbent presidents to extend their term of office.”
Osei-Kuffour said attention should be given to the revision of the ECOWAS Protocols on Democracy and Good Governance and the adoption of term limit.
According to him, the institutionalisation of the Protocol indicated ECOWAS’ belief of good governance and the rule of law devoid of violence.
“To this extent, civil society organizations met in Nigeria on Dec.9 2023, ahead of the ECOWAS Heads of State Summit to deliberate on the deteriorating state of democracy in the subregion, with particular emphasis on addressing the issue of term elongation and term limits in West Africa.
“The meeting made a number of observations and recommendations while recognising and acknowledging efforts by ECOWAS towards the review of the supplementary protocol.
ECOWAS Heads of State: Interventions on term limits in West Africa.”
He said the group was ready to partner the ECOWAS Commission to speed up action on the issue of tenure limits, which drives instability in the region.