THISDAY

DEMOCRATIC REVERSALS AND THE CRISIS OF GOVERNANCE Wealth D.Ominabo argues that ECOWAS needs independen­ce to enforce its protocols

- RI FLWL]HQV RQ WKH EHQHÀWV DQG UHOHYDQFH RI Ominabo is the Communicat­ions Officer at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation

Democracy in West Africa is in crisis, it is threatened by insecurity, human rights violation , digital repression, electoral fraud, institutio­nal weakness and state capture. The region is becoming a ÁRXULVKLQJ JURXQG IRU XQFRQVWLWX­WLRQDO transfers of power, compoundin­g the security challenges of the region. Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea are now governed by military leaders and ECOWAS has for the last two years been searching for a sustainabl­e solution to the political impasse in the countries.

At the foundation of the issue of democratic reversals is the crisis of governance. The inability of States to function effectivel­y; the lack of capacity of institutio­ns to carry out their functions, the inability of political leaders to safeguard and protect the lives and properties of citizens is also seen as a major threat for the survival of democracy. Peace and security are the primary responsibi­lities of a State, and the government’s relevance is to the extent to which it can guarantee the basic rights of people. The crisis of governance is better explained in the context of the current reality in many countries, where citizens are daily confronted with miseries such as poverty, unemployme­nt, insecurity and hunger. This has created a WUXVW GHÀFLW EHWZHHQ WKH JRYHUQPHQW DQG the citizens. Trust is the threshold upon which the legitimacy of a government is EXLOW DQG VXVWDLQHG DQG WKH GHÀFLW RI WUXVW portends a crisis of legitimacy.

Democratic sustainabi­lity is tied to adherence to democratic principles which include the rule of law, separation of powers, credible elections, access to justice, equality and inclusive governance. These virtues help to reinforce the wheel of governance and maintain state on the path of stability and national cohesion. Dictatoria­l instincts by political leaders have made many citizens lose faith in democracy , making citizens resort to the search of hope by all means even outside the constituti­onal democracy. In Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso citizens trooped out to the street to celebrate when democratic government­s were overthrown. In some instances like Mali, civil society groups and political party leaders were reported to have endorsed actions of the putschist.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is threatened with legitimacy and governance crises - this impacts on its ability to deliver on its mandate and enforce its protocols. Democracy and security are major areas of interest of ECOWAS, regrettabl­y the region has been a melting SRW IRU LQVHFXULW\ DQG ÁDVKSRLQW IRU democratic decline in recent years. Part of the challenge lies in the lethargy of presidents from member states to uphold democratic principles in their countries. Another factor lies in the absence of strong institutio­ns in many countries which has made many presidents manipulate the state institutio­ns for their interests.

The inability of ECOWAS leaders, especially those within the ranks of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, the highest decision organ of the body comprising serving presidents to enforce its laws and protocols, has created a crisis of governance for ECOWAS. In recent times, most presidents of ECOWAS nations have defaulted ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance through electoral malpractic­e and tenure elongation.

Some leaders have also captured democratic institutio­ns in their countries subjecting State institutio­ns to act according to their whims and caprices. President Alpha Conde’s decision to seek a third term has always been cited as the major reason for the coup in Guinea. ECOWAS today faces a legitimacy issue because many citizens in member states do not see the body as representi­ng their interests because of their silence on the illegality of sitting presidents. For example, ECOWAS maintained sealed lips when Alassane Ouattara amended the Côte d’Ivoire’s Constituti­on and sought a third term .

This practice by ECOWAS signals a departure from the old tradition when ECOWAS used to be assertive on issues of democratic principles involving member states. In 2009 ECOWAS suspended President Mamadou Tandja of Niger after the expiration of his two terms despite orchestrat­ing a referendum and conducting a sham election to validate his third term. In 2010, ECOWAS also asserted its power and compelled President /DXUHQW *EDJER WR YDFDWH RIÀFH DIWHU KH was defeated by Alassane Ouattara in the 2010 Presidenti­al Election of Côte d’Ivoire. Also in 2016 ECOWAS restored the presidenti­al mandate of Adama Barrow of Gambia after Yahya Jammeh refused to YDFDWH RIÀFH DIWHU KH ZDV GHIHDWHG LQ WKH presidenti­al polls.

The deviation from this time tested practice is what has created a legitimacy gap for ECOWAS among citizens of PHPEHU VWDWHV 7RGD\ (&2:$6 ÀQGV LW GLIÀFXOW WR HQIRUFH LWV SROLFLHV DQG SURWRFRO on dissenting members . The failure and refusal of military authoritar­ians in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso to abide by ECOWAS timeline of political transition despite sanctions imposed on them signals the irreverenc­e of the body in the region.

)RU GHPRFUDF\ WR ÁRXULVK LQ WKH UHJLRQ presidents from member states must commit to democratic principles in their own countries, this will translate to wider democratic gains in the region. One way to achieve this is through the strengthen­ing of democratic institutio­ns in a way that it can withstand pressures from African Strongmen and authoritar­ians. Strong institutio­ns are the bulwark upon which democracy is preserved. The ECOWAS Commission and ECOWAS itself is in need of urgent reforms that will guarantee its independen­ce, from internal DQG H[WHUQDO LQÁXHQFHV VR LW FDQ HQIRUFH its protocols without fear or favour.

Lastly, West African nations need to improve their level of statecraft, such that the government is able to deliver basic social goods to its citizens; this will help ensure trust and build faith in the hearts democracy.

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