Over 50 West Africa civil society organisations (CSOs) under the aegis of West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), in collaboration with Tournons la Page (TLP), West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), and other pro-democracy actors across the region, have urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to open discussions and dialogue with the government of Togo.
They made the call on Thursday in Abuja at a meeting on ‘Engagement on Democratic Recession, Backsliding’ ahead of the 65th Authority of Heads of State Summit holding on Sunday July 7, 2024 in Abuja.
They said that their call was over the recent amendment to the constitution that led to nationwide protest from pro-democracy actors and citizens, including the Togolese Conference of Bishops, academics, the CSOs, and the diaspora community.
WADEMOS Network Coordinator, Paul Osei-Kuffour who spoke on behalf of the coalition said that with two-thirds of citizens in 34 African countries surveyed by Afrobarometer in 2022, in favour of limiting presidents to two terms, thus ECOWAS should recognize presidential term limits as by far the preferred option among citizens and respond accordingly to these aspirations.
“We firmly believe that now, more than ever is the time for ECOWAS to fast-track the review of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol and promulgate a code on presidential term limits that is in harmony with all proposed revisions of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol.
“Moreover, lessons from the constitutional review in Togo that provides overriding powers to the president of the council of ministers with no term limit against the elected president should inform the review of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
“It is our humble appeal to ECOWAS that the reform of presidential term limit to two terms should apply equally and strictly to Heads of States as Heads of Government across all member states. ECOWAS should take immediate steps through the reform to curtail the situation in Togo from becoming the new norm in the region,” Osei-Kuffour said.
He said that the coalition is deeply concerned about the political and security crises and the risk to the unity and cohesion of the community.
“We condemn the arrest and detention of civic actors and political opponents by the transitional governments in Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea and Niger and the continuous suppression of activists and defenders, particularly, in Burkina Faso under the ‘general mobilisation law’, which gives the president sweeping powers, including that of conscripting people and restraining civil liberties.
“We urge the Heads of State to seek the intervention of global and regional bodies including the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) and the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) to intervene in the situation in the Sahel to avoid further deterioration of the rights of citizens by their government,” Osei-Kuffour said.
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