The Republic of Niger has been suspended from ECOWAS following its failure to comply
with the 17th October 2009 Decision of Heads of State and Government to postpone the
legislative elections of Tuesday, 20th October 2009. The suspension which will be in force
until constitutional legality is restored in the country is in accordance with the ECOWAS
Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
The Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS had
dispatched a delegation comprising the President of Liberia, the President of the ECOWAS
Commission, and former Nigerian leader, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, to prevail on the
Nigerien leader to postpone the election to enable the country’s political stakeholders
consult in the process of resolving the constitutional crisis in the country.
“The elections are already underway today in total disregard of the Authority of Heads of
State and Government and by proceeding with the conduct of the legislative elections, the
authorities of Niger have clearly moved to further entrench the constitutional illegality
currently prevailing in the country,” the Chairman said in a statement.
He further described this as the rejection of the appeal for dialogue and consensus to
resolve the deepening constitutional crisis in the country.
The Chairman stressed the determination of the region to consolidate the culture of
democracy, respect for constitutional legality and the rule of law that the region has
championed for the past two decades. Consequently, he said ECOWAS will not recognize
the outcome of the elections.
Furthermore, the statement said that the violation of the 1999 Constitution by the
authorities in Niger, the intolerance of divergent opinions, and the muzzling of the
opposition political parties are serious breaches of the ECOWAS Protocol A/SP1/12/01 on
Democracy and Good Governance and constitute sufficient grounds for the imposition of
sanctions on Niger in accordance with Article 45 of the Protocol.
In the efforts to continue to constructively engage the principal stakeholders in the Nigerien
polity towards the restoration of constitutional legality, the Chairman said ECOWAS will be
convening a consultative meeting of major Nigerien actors in Abuja on 30th October 2009
under the Chairmanship of the ECOWAS Mediator for the Republic of Niger, retired
General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
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