Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has urged West African leaders to prioritise good governance and collective prosperity as an essential tool to prevent ''authoritarian takeovers of power and unconstitutional changes of government in the region.''
The West African region is grappling with a wave of coups since 2020 with Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger now under military juntas following coups.
Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau have also experienced attempted coups in recent weeks fueling concern among leaders across the region.
The Nigerian leader is the current chairman of the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.
Re-engaging with juntas
"By providing good governance that tackles the challenges of poverty, inequality and other concerns of the people, we would have succeeded in addressing some of the root causes of military interventions in civilian processes in our region," Tinubu said at an ECOWAS summit in Abuja on Sunday.
Tinubu defended ECOWAS economic sanctions imposed on Niger following a coup in the country in July as well as previous cases in other countries.
"While the imposition of punitive sanctions may pose challenges, it is important to underscore that the struggle to protect the fundamental liberties of our Community's Citizens must be upheld and respected,'' he said.
"To this end, I would like to reiterate the imperative of re-engaging with the countries under military rule on the basis of realistic and short transition plans that can deliver democracy and good governance.''
Alliance of Sahel States
The regional bloc ''should be prepared to provide them with technical and material support, to ensure the achievement of these strategic goals," President Tinubu added.
"Without let or hindrance, democracy will win, if we fight for it, and we will definitely fight for democracy," Tinubu vowed.
The ECOWAS chairman also faulted the recent formation of a bloc by Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso known as Alliance of Sahel States describing the move as a distraction.
Military juntas that seized power in the three countries - all members of ECOWAS - have been at loggerheads with the regional group because of the coups. They said their alliance was for ''mutual defence'' and fighting armed groups.
Collective dreams
"The phantom pushback Alliance appears intended to divert our attention from our mutual belief in and commitment to democracy and good governance that will impact the lives of our people,'' Tinubu said while reacting to the creation of the new bloc.
"We refuse to be distracted from pursuing the collective dreams, aspirations, and the noble path of ECOWAS integration as it is laid out in our institutional and legal frameworks,'' he said.
The 15-nation regional bloc had threatened military intervention in Niger if the junta civilian rule was not restored but later said it would continue to pursue diplomatic means to resolve the crisis.
The West African leaders are expected announce measures on the political, economic and security situations in the region at the end of the summit.
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