The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Comrade Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, has expressed concerns over Nigeria’s significant loss in the wake of the decision by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
During an exclusive conversation with the Nigerian Tribune, monitored by AkweyaTV, Rafsanjani emphasised the negative impact this withdrawal would have on Nigeria’s leadership role in the subregion, Africa, and the international community.
Rafsanjani criticised ECOWAS for not effectively engaging with the military leaders in the departing countries, citing the need for a more productive and positive approach. He highlighted the danger in responding with force when the populace supports the current leadership, emphasising the lack of moral grounds for military intervention.
“What Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have done is a dangerous response to this ECOWAS, which does not seem to understand that it was time for them to actually begin engaging productively and positively with the military junta in those countries,” Rafsanjani said.
He said danger lay more in the fact that the military take over has strong backing of the citizens of the three countries. “[Y]ou’re dealing with a situation where the populace supports the leadership they have now. So you don’t have any moral ground to go start bombing or killing them. In fact, there’s nowhere in the ECOWAS protocol where they say you should go and start attacking any independent country for that matter.”
He pointed out that Nigeria stands to lose the most from this walkout, as regional leadership requires the support of West African countries. Rafsanjani criticised Nigeria’s approach, suggesting a failure to create a more flexible and diplomatic solution without legal or constitutional obligations to force the countries out of ECOWAS.
Nigeria’s ambitions to secure a position on the Security Council were also discussed, with Rafsanjani stressing the importance of garnering support from neighboring countries, which is now at risk due to strained relationships within ECOWAS.
He highlighted that the withdrawing countries have demonstrated that life goes on without ECOWAS, citing their ability to function independently for several months. According to Rafsanjani, the decision to leave ECOWAS reflects the perceived lack of value in the union, as it has not effectively addressed issues of poverty, insecurity, or infrastructure.
About eight months ago in 2023, a coup d’etat in Niger led to the removal of the civilian government, and ECOWAS threatening military action under the leadership of Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Many analysts thought his move was unwise and the steps should be retraced in view of Nigeria’s ties with Niger Republic.
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