“If Democracy Falters in Nigeria, Democracy Will Collapse Everywhere Else in Entire West African Region” — ECOWAS Warns Tinubu

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has warned that “if democracy falters in Nigeria, democracy will collapse everywhere else in the entire West African region.”

ECOWAS Commission President, Omar Touray, sounded the warning to Bola Tinubu in Abuja on Monday during the launch of “Regional Partnership for Democracy”,  a new initiative aimed at countering the continent’s mounting democratic decline.

Represented by ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah,  Touray stressed that democracy in the region is under severe strain.

He praised Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Cabo Verde for holding firm to multiparty governance, adding, “Make no mistake, if democracy falters in Nigeria, democracy will collapse elsewhere, everywhere else in the entire West African region.”

Musah highlighted the critical challenges facing democracy in the region, including unconstitutional changes of government, judicial manipulation, and exclusion of opposition parties.

Musah pointed to “an upsurge of attempted and successful military coups” and the “unconstitutional maintenance of power by incumbents.”

He said the region’s challenges are compounded by global tensions and “fake news and manipulation through the explosion of AI-empowered social media,” as well as terrorism and violent extremism.

Despite this, Musah insisted that “regime security cannot be a substitute for democracy and development, as hard security without development will eventually come crashing down as an edifice built on sandy foundations.”

Over the past decade, West Africa has faced mounting democratic setbacks, marked by a resurgence of military coups and prolonged political crises.

Since 2020, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger have each undergone military coups that removed their elected governments. In response, ECOWAS imposed sanctions, suspended these states from its institutions, and pursued diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring constitutional rule and negotiating transition timelines.

These disruptions have occurred alongside concerns about electoral credibility, term-limit manipulation and shrinking civic space, contributing to what regional observers describe as the most severe democratic recession in West Africa since the early 1990s.

At the same time, West Africa has become a major theatre for violent extremism and armed insurgencies, particularly in the Sahel, where groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and ISIS have expanded their reach.

Story credit: Punch Newspapers