Buhari’s administration had closed borders, delayed ratifying the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and largely turned inward, especially during his second term. In particular, Tinubu underscored his commitment to defending democracy across the region, which had already seen a string of military coups in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso. “We need it, to be an example to the rest of Africa and the world,” he said, speaking of democracy. “We will not allow coup after coup in West Africa.”That statement could come back to haunt him, given recent developments in the region and ECOWAS’ performance under Tinubu’s leadership. ECOWAS was ultimately forced to acknowledge the unconstitutional transfer of power and suspend Niger’s membership during a recent summit.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 01, 2024 13:17 UTC