President Bola Tinubu has called on the military governments of Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, and Mali to reconsider their decision to exit the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), urging them not to perceive the regional bloc as an enemy.
Tinubu made this appeal on Saturday during his opening address at the ECOWAS extraordinary summit held at the State House in Abuja.
The summit marked the first gathering since the three countries announced their withdrawal from the West African regional economic bloc in January.
The junta-led nations had criticized ECOWAS for imposing sanctions on them as part of efforts to restore democratic rule.
In response, President Tinubu, who was elected chairman of the regional bloc in 2023, stressed the importance of engagement and dialogue to address the concerns raised by the exiting countries.
“We will deliberate on the announced withdrawal from ECOWAS by the Republics of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. In the spirit of collective security and African solidarity, we realize that the stability of these nations is intricately linked to the overall peace and security of West Africa,” Tinubu stated.
Highlighting the need to prioritize the well-being of citizens, Tinubu emphasized the importance of democracy as a means to address the basic needs and aspirations of the people. He called for a re-examination of ECOWAS’ current approach to promoting constitutional order in member states and urged the exiting countries to reconsider their decision.
“As such, it is pertinent that we engage in constructive deliberations to examine the actions taken by these countries and ensure that the citizens are not denied the benefits derived from our regional integration initiatives,” he remarked.
“In our ensuing discussions, we must put the plight of people, the ordinary citizens, at the centre of our decisions.
“Democracy is nothing more than the political framework and the path to addressing the basic needs and aspirations of the people. This is why we must re-examine our current approach to the quest for constitutional order in four of our Member States. I therefore urge them to reconsider the decision of the three of them to exit their home and not to perceive our organisation as the enemy.”
