Good governance will counter coups in W’Africa, says Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said good governance is an essential tool to prevent unconstitutional changes of government which is currently eating very deep into the West African States.

Tinubu who is the chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government said this while addressing the high-powered regional gathering at the 64th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

He said, “The delivery of good governance is not just a fundamental commitment; it is also an avenue to address the concerns of our citizens, to improve their quality of life, and create a stable environment conducive to the achievement of sustainable development.

“By providing good governance that tackles the challenges of poverty, inequality and other concerns of the people, we would have succeeded in addressing some of the root causes of military interventions in civilian processes in our region,” the President stated.

Speaking further, he also recounted the decisions taken by West African leaders to further strengthen the region’s democratic achievements and uphold the right of the people to elect the leaders of their choice.

He said the bloc has outlined specific measures to be taken against any member state opting for unconstitutional change of government.

“While the imposition of punitive sanctions may pose challenges, it is important to underscore that the struggle to protect the fundamental liberties of our Community’s Citizens must be upheld and respected.

“To this end, I would like to reiterate the imperative of re-engaging with the countries under military rule on the basis of realistic and short transition plans that can deliver democracy and good governance to the innocent populations in those countries.

“On our part, we should be prepared to provide them with technical and material support, to ensure the achievement of these strategic goals,” he said.

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