The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, has raised the alarm over what he described as West Africa’s deepening democracy and security crises, warning that the region’s political instability threatens to derail Africa’s integration and development aspirations.
Speaking at the African Public Square (APS) Second Continental Edition Conference on Friday in Abuja, themed "Future Proofing Regional Integration in Africa: ECOWAS @50", Touray said the sub-region faces a critical moment that could define its political and democratic future.
Influence Media reports that the APS is a platform established to stimulate conversations on peace, security, and development among African intellectuals and policymakers.
The event, convened by the Amandla Institute and the African Leadership Centre, brought together political leaders, academics, and regional experts to discuss how ECOWAS can reimagine its integration framework amid mounting governance and security challenges.
Touray, represented by Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, disclosed that the commission had initiated a citizens-led review of its integration structure to ensure it aligns with emerging realities across the continent.
He explained that the review process would culminate in a draft pact that will chart ECOWAS’s direction for the next 15 years.
“I would argue that we have a crisis of security, and then we have a crisis of democracy in West Africa today," he said.
“We have to navigate between a lot that has been said about terrorism, violence, terrorism, and others. Democracy is also in crisis. It is in crisis today in West Africa and it doesn’t seem like leaders have learned their lesson.”
Touray’s remarks underscore a growing concern that democracy across Africa is being eroded by military coups, constitutional manipulations, and the shrinking of civic spaces. In recent years, several West African nations have witnessed power grabs or constitutional revisions that entrench incumbents, undermining the rule of law and weakening regional solidarity.
He traced ECOWAS’s evolution from its 1975 founding — amid linguistic and colonial divides — to its role in managing post-Cold War conflicts and its current struggle with internal democratic disruptions in a rapidly changing world order.
Touray cautioned that the world was entering what he called a “warm war” era — a phase of global realignments and strategic rivalries — stressing that West Africa must make deliberate choices to safeguard its collective democratic interests.
He lamented the rise of political exclusion in some member states, warning that such trends threaten the credibility of elections and foster instability.
“Only renewed commitment to inclusivity, good governance, and dialogue can bring the estranged members back into the ECOWAS family,” he said.
“Today’s popular method of team capture is by member states eliminating dangerous opponents, whether political parties or candidates, from the electoral process.”
Analysts say Touray’s comments reflect a growing frustration within ECOWAS over the fragility of democracy in the region. The bloc, once seen as a model for democratic governance in Africa, has in recent years struggled to contain the resurgence of coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—countries that have since withdrawn from ECOWAS in protest of sanctions and internal disagreements.
Also speaking at the event, former Governor of Ekiti State and ex-Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, linked the region’s deepening insecurity to poor governance and institutional weakness rather than insurgency alone.
He noted that many of the crises gripping West Africa stem from leadership failures, political exclusion, and the lack of credible democratic processes.
These comments come amid different coups in the region.
Nigeria also survived a coup attempt recently, a development that led to arrest many military personnel.
SaharaReporters
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