An international diplomatic consultant has described the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as a joke paradise over the election of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu as its Chairman.
To Farouk Al Wahab, the chairmanship is fake, and he wonders why President Tinubu accepted the position.
Speaking on Asempa FM‘s Ekosii Sen, he stated ECOWAS has been broken and distorted over the election, adding the body does not understand diplomacy.
“He was sworn in on May 29, 2023, and made ECOWAS Chairman in July, which is 41 days later, when he had no foreign minister or cabinet. Who was he going to deliberate on issues with and give instructions because he has to consult these parties on issues concerning ECOWAS?” he quizzed.
He continued, “Let’s not also forget that the Nigerian electoral result is being challenged.”
Tinubu, the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner of the February 25 election after scoring 8,794,726 votes.
Upset by the outcome, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, are challenging his victory.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the presidential election petition tribunal (PEPT) is expected to deliver its judgment sometime in September.
This, according to Mr Wahab, makes the situation worrying, as he questioned what the fate of Tinubu as ECOWAS Chairman will be if the Tribunal nullifies his election.
The consultant’s comment comes in the wake of an ECOWAS directive for member states to mobilise standby force to restore constitutional order in the Niger Republic amidst a coup.
But the consultant who is incensed by the directive says it is a bad and disgraceful order.
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