President Muhammadu Buhari has urged leaders of countries in West Africa to resist the temptation of elongating their tenures as such actions are capable of causing crises in their domain.
A statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, said President Buhari gave the advice at the 57th ordinary session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Government in Niamey, the Niger Republic, on Monday.
Buhari said: “It is “important that as leaders of our individual Member-States of ECOWAS, we need to adhere to the constitutional provisions of our countries, particularly on term limits. This is one area that generates crisis and political tension in our sub-region.
“As it is, the challenges facing the sub-region are enormous; from socio-economic matters to security issues, the ECOWAS sub-region cannot, therefore, afford another political crisis, in the guise of tenure elongation.
“I urge us all to resist the temptation of seeking to perpetuate ourselves in power beyond the constitutional provisions.”
Buhari commended leaders who turned down such requests, describing them as role models in the region.
He added: “Related to this call for restraint is the need to guarantee free, fair and credible elections,” the statement quoted him as saying.
“This must be the bedrock for democracy to be sustained in our sub-region, just as the need for adherence to the rule of law.”
President Buhari praised the out-going ECOWAS Chairman cum President Mahamadou Issoufou of the Niger Republic, his predecessor, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan as well as other Heads of State and Government and the Leadership of the ECOWAS Commission for their commitment in handling the political situation in Mali.
“While Nigeria understands the current political realities in Mali, the sub-region commitment to the Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance must never be compromised,” the statement quoted Buhari to have said.