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ECOWAS Parliament pushes ban on 3-term presidencies, urges reforms amid regional tensions

Jun 2, 2025, 10:59 AM

In a bold move aimed at fostering democracy and curbing political instability in West Africa, the ECOWAS Parliament's Joint Committee has called on the ECOWAS Commission to explicitly outlaw third-term presidential bids across the region. This was one of several far-reaching recommendations made during a high-level meeting held from April 28 to May 2 in Banjul, The Gambia.

The call comes amid growing concerns over democratic backsliding and recent withdrawals from ECOWAS by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. The Joint Committee emphasised the urgent need to revise the regional protocol on democracy and good governance to block extended presidential terms and reinforce safeguards against unconstitutional regime changes.

“We must draw a clear line to preserve democratic norms in our region,” said Co-rapporteur Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiente, who presented the committee’s resolutions.

A central recommendation was the creation of an inter-parliamentary dialogue mechanism to maintain open communication with all Member States even those facing political crises or suspension.

In response to escalating security threats and institutional instability, the committee urged the ECOWAS Commission to operationalise the ECOWAS Standby Force and enhance regional intelligence-sharing through new centers in partnership with the African Union. It also recommended negotiating security frameworks with the three withdrawing states to maintain cooperation in intelligence, patrols, and humanitarian response.

The meeting proposed sweeping reforms of ECOWAS’s trade and legal frameworks, including the establishment of new trade agreements, customs cooperation, and refocusing legal instruments on the bloc’s founding goals — free movement, economic integration, and the elimination of barriers.

The committee also recommended an independent audit of ECOWAS’s operational expenditures and the publication of annual reports assessing the impact of sanctions, as part of a broader push for transparency and accountability.

Recognising the disconnect between ECOWAS and its citizens, the committee called for a multilingual public communication campaign, grassroots opinion polling, and the creation of a regional citizen observatory to collect community feedback. Enhanced youth programs, cultural exchanges, and cross-border development schemes were also proposed to deepen public engagement and regional identity. (The Independent – Nigeria)

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