ECOWAS to honour Buhari with democracy icon award

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has said it has made arrangements to honour President Muhammadu Buhari with an award in recognition of his achievements in the defence and promotion of democracy as a system of government throughout the sub-region as he prepares to leave office upon the conclusion of his two-term tenure.

ECOWAS Chairman, Guinea Bissau’s Umaro Sissoco Embalo, said this Tuesday at a bilateral meeting with the president on the sidelines of the ongoing 5th United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries in Doha, Qatar.

President Embalo said President Buhari had done more than any other to support democratic governments in West Africa, just as he had done exceptionally well, waging battles against the emergence of non-democratic regimes.

For this, he said President Buhari would have his name on the Roll of Honour in the community’s new headquarters building upon its completion in Abuja, so that future generations of West African citizens would know about the greatness he achieved and copy his laudable examples.

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Buhari, in a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, welcomed the proposition, stressing that democracy is the best pathway to bringing together diverse people and a dependable vehicle for the achievement of national development.