The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged members of the ECOWAS Parliament to address the emerging challenges threatening democracy in the region.
He highlighted three significant threats: the re-militarization of governance, the manipulation of constitutional rules by elites to seize power, and the destructive ambitions of terrorist groups and armed criminal gangs.
President Akufo-Addo emphasized the perilous state of democracy in West Africa, calling for intensified efforts to uphold democratic accountability among citizens.
He decried the subversion of democracy by elites who manipulate constitutional rules to retain power, the re-emergence of the military in politics without a mandate from the people, and the threat posed by terrorist groups and armed criminal gangs seeking to establish lawless zones.
Drawing upon Winston Churchill’s famous quote that “democracy is the worst form of governance, except for all the others,” President Akufo-Addo highlighted the resilience of democracy in the face of tyranny and oppression. He acknowledged the region’s challenging economic, political, social, and security situation, noting a decline in democratic credentials.
Speaking at the 2nd ECOWAS Parliamentary Seminar with the theme “Challenges Relating to Unconstitutional Changes of Government and Presidential Term Limits in West Africa – Role of the ECOWAS Parliament,” President Akufo-Addo expressed concern over military governments in four ECOWAS Member States due to coups, leading to anxiety and regional instability.
He condemned the culture of violence and disputes during elections.
He emphasized the importance of leaders obtaining legitimacy through free, fair, and transparent elections, warning against manipulation of democratic rules for partisan gains, which erodes legitimacy and creates social tensions. President Akufo-Addo called for a focus on achieving free government, shared prosperity, equitable justice, and lasting peace through democratic governance.
He urged ECOWAS legislators to analyze the root causes of democratic regression and political instability in the region, advocate against the extension of presidential term limits used to consolidate power, and prevent discontent that could be exploited by military interventions.
President Akufo-Addo emphasized that regional stability relies on legality and legitimacy combined to ensure the wellbeing of citizens.