In a resolute stance against proposed military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to reinstate democracy in Niger, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, emphasized that democracy must remain paramount in addressing the crisis.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, August 19, Ablakwa underscored that ECOWAS member states are committed to advancing their democratic credentials.
Ablakwa made it clear that Parliament firmly opposes coups and military takeovers. He highlighted that the citizens of West African countries deserve the power to elect and remove their leaders through democratic means, without resorting to military intervention.
He articulated, “We are all opposed to military takeovers, nobody supports coups. When these coups occur, we in Parliament are the first casualties.
All coup announcements, you will hear the physiology – parliament is hereby dissolved. We will instantly become unemployed, we will be jobless, so I cannot come here and speak in favor of military takes.”
While expressing reservations about ECOWAS’ approach, Ablakwa contended that the organization has fallen short of expectations in upholding democratic values. He asserted that ECOWAS has previously abused “democratic opportunities” and acted counter to the best interests of the people.
“They (ECOWAS) are not empathetic to the people, they don’t use good governance tools, they don’t listen to the masses, they even use their democratically elected office to undermine institutions, compromise the judiciary, entrenched themselves, engage in what you may want to call constitutional coups and that has been the bin in the sub-region,” he emphasized.
Ablakwa cited historical instances to challenge ECOWAS’ credibility, noting that several member countries had experienced coups, leading to a credibility crisis within the organization itself. He urged ECOWAS to address the root causes of such crises and emphasized that military intervention might not be the solution.
“I do not think that military intervention is what will stem the tide, rather they should look at the causative factors. All of this bad leadership, people using democracy to entrench themselves, to kill their people.”
As tensions escalate, Ablakwa’s opposition to military intervention resonates with the broader regional conversation, underscoring the complex challenges surrounding democratic stability and the role of international bodies like ECOWAS in addressing crises.
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