Crownfield Solicitors, in conjunction with the Campaign for Social Justice and Constitutional Democracy in Africa, has formally requested ECOWAS to remove President Bola Tinubu as its Chairman.
In a letter to the regional body, they accused Tinubu of imposing a form of military rule in Rivers State, which they claim violates regional treaties and endangers West African democracy.
The law firm alleges that Tinubu, as ECOWAS Chairman, has suspended democratic structures in Rivers State and established a “neo-junta,” directly contradicting the ECOWAS Treaty, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
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They cited specific violations, including Article 4(g) of the ECOWAS Treaty, Article 13(1) of the African Charter, and the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy (2001).
The solicitors warned that Tinubu’s actions could encourage authoritarianism in other ECOWAS countries, reversing democratic gains and destabilizing the region, especially given recent military coups.
They asserted that these actions damage ECOWAS’s credibility and commitment to democracy, and if not addressed, will encourage further violations across West Africa.
Chief Festus Ogwuche demanded Tinubu’s removal as ECOWAS Chairman, the restoration of democratic institutions in Rivers State, and ECOWAS intervention to prevent further democratic erosion.
Copies of the letter were sent to key Nigerian and ECOWAS bodies. This request stems from Tinubu’s March 18 declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, which suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the state’s assembly for six months.
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