Subversion of Democracy by Presidents Driving Coups in West Africa – Prof. Jibrin

• Professor Ibrahim Jibrin highlighted that the subversion of democracy by West African leaders contributes significantly to the region’s military coups
• The $20 million West Africa Democracy Fund aims to bolster democracy and address governance challenges, launched in Abuja by prominent organizations

Ibrahim Jibrin, a political science professor and former member of the electoral reform committee under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, has highlighted that the subversion of democracy by West African presidents is a significant cause of military coups in the region.

Speaking at an event in Abuja on Monday during the launch of the $20 million West Africa Democracy Fund, Prof. Jibrin noted that democratic leaders manipulating the system to extend their rule has undermined stability.

The fund, launched by the Ford Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Luminate, and Open Society Foundation, aims to bolster democracy across West African states over the next three years.

Prof. Jibrin, a former Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), pointed out that West Africa has experienced multiple coups between 2020 and 2024, including in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Outside the region, Chad and Sudan also saw military takeovers in 2021.

Prof Jibrin said, “ECOWAS has been playing a key role as a driving force in West African democracy. However, the biggest challenge is always when presidents come into power democratically and start subverting the system so they will stay in power for a long time.

“That has been the biggest contradiction ECOWAS has always faced. ECOWAS is committed to supporting the democratic process. Still, at the same time, the authorities of the states are the major culprits in subverting the democratic process that led to the return of coups as well as undermining ECOWAS as a regional body.”

Jibrin also mentioned that poor governance and high youth unemployment have negatively impacted democracy, with jobless youths often used to disrupt elections and political processes.