Jonathan Nwokpor
Renowned legal scholar Justice Osai Ahiakwo has attributed the three former members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, withdrawing their membership in the Sub-African regional organization, to President Bola Tinubu’s initial response to the overthrow of elected President Mohammed Bazoun of Niger.
In his declaration made public in Calabar, Tinubu said that as the head of both ECOWAS and Nigeria, he had yet to lead by example in addressing the dire economic conditions of his own country and its neighbors.
He claimed that it was not shocking that the three nations decided to leave.
He claimed that what was lacking was the application of the proper diplomatic strategy to ascertain the most effective means of addressing the enduring issues of poor governance, corruption, insecurity, poverty, and unemployment that beset the Republic of Niger and, consequently, other countries, leading to the abrupt withdrawal of their membership.
“President Tinubu was unable to address the remote causes of the takeover of legitimate government by way of sponsored coups by the military juntas. There was no serious dialogue(s) between the sub-regional organization and the coupist.
“In combating corruption, Tinubu must be sincere and transparent enough to clean up the system of government of Nigeria before efficiently managing the commonwealth of the Economic Community of West African States,” he said.
Ahiakwo concurred that the ECOWAS leadership ought to bear responsibility for their exit.
The legal expert recommended that to uphold the genuine concept of democratically elected governance, the ECOWAS leadership should demonstrate the ability and willingness to provide effective governance.
However, the attorney argued that the three countries’ military juntas are not legal governments.
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