Although ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States) has done a lot for West Africa in terms of peace keeping and enforcement as well as restoration of democracy, it is however not free from corruption Allegations. Sierra Leoneans have accused most of ECOWAS officials in the June-24 elections of bribe taking. An ECOWAS senior official was accused too, but this press is yet to verify the corruption claims.
A key political stakeholder in Sierra Leone who spoke on condition of anonymity said ECOWAS’s reception and acceptance of President Julius Maada Bio at summits knowing fully well that he did not win the elections is enough to raise an eyebrow.
He went on to state that ECOWAS observers were in Sierra Leone in the June-24 elections and saw firsthand how President Bio forced his way to victory against the will and wish of Sierra Leoneans. It would have been worthwhile for the sub-regional bloc to fight back almost immediately.
“Since they had boots on the ground, ECOWAS was expected to immediately condemn Bio and ostracise him from the organisation if they meant business, but they did not do so,” he vented out his grievance.
After the rigged elections, he continued, President Bio attended the ECOWAS Summit held in Abuja to find ways of restoring the deposed President Bazoum to power.
He was also there when decisions were being made about a possible military intervention in Niger, and even promised to contribute troops to restore democratic order in the West African country.
Back home, Bio has little or no democracy owing to persistent abuse of human rights, state-sponsored killings, thuggery and violence, silencing dissenting voices, unlawful arrest and detention, harassment and intimidation as well as widespread terror tactics before, during and after elections.
How can one put the house of another man in order while his is not in order. Quite recently, Pressure mounted on the Nigerian President and ECOWAS Chairman, Ahmed Bola Tinubu not to allow the embattled President Bio to take part in any move to restore constitutional order in Niger.
He must first restore order in his country before he does the same thing for another country. As if bowing to pressure, Tinubu issued an order barring the Sierra Leonean President from taking part in the ECOWAS subsequent summits until the right thing is done.
The heavyweight politician is not yet convinced about Tinubu’s action since ECOWAS has a challenge of enforcement of its decisions.
“To adopt a decision is one thing but to implement it is another thing altogether,” he said. On the flip side, President Bio is known for attending world summits uninvited and unannounced.
He was not invited to the food summit in Italy, but took part in the deliberations, and he may repeat the same thing at ECOWAS.
In spite of Tinubu’s action to drop Bio out of ECOWAS, many Sierra Leoneans are not pleased and satisfied. They argue that why ECOMOG (ECOWAS Monitoring Group) forces intervened quickly in Sierra Leone in May, 1997 under late President Ahmed Tejan Kabba but failed to do so at the moment they are needed most.
Many West Africans also see the sub-regional bloc as a money-making institution owing to its double standards in the protection of democracy, a situation that slowly erodes its relevance to democratic consolidation.
ECOWAS failed to intervene in Niger when the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum was misruling his people as they waited for an overthrow only to deploy troops to the country.
A similar situation also took place in the West African Country of Guinea where ousted President, Professor Alpha Conde was manipulating the constitution for a third term.
But, they came in only after Conde was toppled and detained in September, 2021. Immediate release of detained Presidents and restoration of constitutional order is normally a key demand by ECOWAS, a move the Guinean leader, Colonel Mahmady Dumbuya kicked against.
He released Conde only after he deemed it fit, but without a timeline for elections. The Sub-regional bloc embarked on similar moves in Mali, Burkinafasso and now Niger making the body appear as if they are there only to protect Presidents since they have the cash and other resources.
As ECOWAS’s relevance to peace and democracy dwindled, some African countries are withdrawing their support for the regional body. Instead of supporting ECOWAS, Egypt and Algeria have pledged troops in support of the military junta if any ECOWAS force invade Niger.
Burkinafasso, Mali and Guinea which have military Heads of States also threaten to defend Niger in the face of any military strike by ECOWAS. In a related development, the Gambian opposition leader was also never in support of ECOWAS when confronted with setting up of an Anti-Coup Unit.
Honourable Mama Kandeh urged ECOWAS to focus not only on coups but also on conditions that lead to coups. As Tinubu grapples with challenges of legitimacy as well as coups and subversions, it is not clear whether the invasion of Niger will hold. The sub-regional bloc is also constrained with financial resources.