When there were coups in Mali, Guinea Bissau, and Burkina Faso, ECOWAS did not threaten war. -Ezeife

Former Anambra State executive Governor and Chairman of the Igbo Elders Consultative Forum, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has shared his perspective on the ongoing coup in Niger Republic and the reported plans by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to use military intervention to restore democracy in the country.

Chukwuemeka Ezeife began by defining democracy as a government that should operate “for the people, by the people.” He emphasized that “for the people” implies that the government should manage the affairs of the people in a manner that benefits them, including ensuring their safety and welfare. Meanwhile, “by the people” underscores the essence of democracy, where citizens choose their leaders through elections.

Expressing his views on ECOWAS’ role, Chukwuemeka Ezeife suggested that if ECOWAS genuinely values democracy, it should take proactive steps to remove obstacles to democratic governance. He proposed the creation of an ECOWAS-wide election body responsible for conducting free, fair, and credible elections across the region. He also urged ECOWAS to seek the support of the African Union and even the United Nations to demonstrate its commitment to upholding democracy.

Chukwuemeka Ezeife pointed out that while coups have occurred in various West African countries, including Mali, Guinea Bissau, and Burkina Faso, ECOWAS did not resort to military intervention in these instances. He highlighted that the organization’s previous responses to coups did not involve threats of war but instead called for other measures like election monitoring, which he believes may not be sufficient to ensure truly fair and credible elections.

Chukwuemeka Ezeife’s perspective underscores the importance of promoting democracy “for the people, by the people” and suggests that ECOWAS should take more proactive steps to safeguard democracy in the region, potentially by establishing a regional election body to oversee elections. He also questions the consistency of ECOWAS’ responses to coups in the region.

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