KEY POINTS
- A Nigerian law firm accused President Tinubu of violating ECOWAS treaties by imposing emergency rule in Rivers State and demanded his removal as bloc chairman.
- Critics warn the move undermines ECOWAS’s credibility, especially after recent military coups in West Africa.
- Tinubu suspended Rivers’ elected officials in March, citing political unrest and oil vandalism, but opponents call it anti-democratic overreach.
A Rivers State-based legal firm, Crownfield Solicitors, has formally petitioned the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to remove Nigerian President Bola Tinubu as the bloc’s chairman, accusing him of undermining democracy in Rivers State.
In a strongly worded letter co-signed by Chief Festus Ogwuche and the Campaign for Social Justice and Constitutional Democracy in Africa, the firm alleged that Tinubu’s imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State violates key regional treaties.
“President Tinubu has suspended democratic institutions in Rivers State and installed a neo-junta regime,” the letter stated.
The solicitors cited multiple legal breaches, including:
- Article 4(g) of the ECOWAS Treaty (democracy and human rights protections)
- Article 13(1) of the African Charter (right to participate in governance)
- The ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy (2001)
“These actions diminish ECOWAS’s credibility and its commitment to democratic governance,” the letter read. “If unchecked, they will embolden further violations across West Africa.”
ECOWAS faces mounting scrutiny over democratic backsliding
According to Channelstv, the demand comes amid regional turmoil, with military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger recently imposing trade levies on ECOWAS members.
.Analysts warn Tinubu’s handling of Rivers State could weaken the bloc’s authority.
On March 18, Tinubu declared a six-month emergency in Rivers, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Ngozi Odu, and the state assembly amid protests and oil facility vandalism. Critics argue the move mirrors authoritarian tactics.
“ECOWAS cannot preach democracy while its chairman suppresses it at home,” said Lagos-based political analyst Adebayo Oladeji. “This hypocrisy emboldens coup leaders.”
The letter urges ECOWAS to:
- Remove Tinubu as chairman
- Restore Rivers’ democratic institutions
- Investigate alleged treaty violations
Copies were sent to Nigeria’s presidency, ECOWAS Commission, Parliament, and Court of Justice. No response has been issued yet.
