CSOs Call on ECOWAS to Implement Term Limits for Presidents and Heads of Government

• The Centre for Democracy and Development and WADEMOS urge ECOWAS to adopt term limits for presidents to strengthen democracy
• CSOs emphasize the importance of term limits in preventing tenure elongation and leadership crises in West Africa

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and various civil society organizations (CSOs) within the West Africa Democracy Network (WADEMOS) have urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to adopt term limits for presidents and heads of government in the region. The call was made during a roundtable organized by WADEMOS in collaboration with the International Citizens Movement Tournons La Page (TLP) in Abuja on Saturday.

The CSOs emphasized the necessity of term limits to address tenure elongation and leadership crises prevalent in West Africa. They argued that implementing term limits would strengthen democracy, curtail crises associated with prolonged leadership, and prevent situations that could lead to coups d’etat.

Paul Osei-Kuffour, the Network Coordinator, cited a research report indicating that 75% of citizens in 34 African countries favour limiting presidential mandates to two terms. He noted that efforts to extend presidential terms in West Africa had often been successful, leading to the incumbent winning subsequent elections, particularly in francophone countries.

The roundtable aimed to mobilize pro-democratic actors ahead of the ECOWAS Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government scheduled for December 10, 2023. The CSOs sought to emphasize their position on the importance of term limits, share plans of action, raise public awareness on the issue, and engage ECOWAS in adopting a provision in the protocol on democracy and good governance.

Kojo Asante, Director of Programmes and Policy Engagement at the Centre for Democracy and Development Ghana (CDD-Ghana) and WADEMOS, stated that the gathering aimed to bring together pro-democracy forces in the sub-region to find solutions to unconstitutional changes in government.

WADEMOS Project Coordinator Francophone, Marie Josiane-Ngah, highlighted the need to strengthen collaboration among CSOs, influencers, and pro-democratic actors to fight against the institutionalization of term limits. The call for term limits is crucial in ensuring stable democracies within the ECOWAS region.