By Sunny Anderson Osiebe...
The Deputy President of the Nigerian
Senate and former Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West
African States, ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has warned against any
military action by the Community in Gambia.
He said it could plunge the country into
bloodletting and threaten the security and peace of the entire sub-region.
Ekweremadu, who regretted that West
Africa had witnessed so many bloodbaths, including armed conflicts and human
sufferings engendered by insurgency and terrorism, urged the ECOWAS Authority
of Heads of State and Government and the international community to explore
dialogue, while also allowing Gambian laws to take preeminence as a sovereign
nation.
The immediate past Speaker of the
Community Parliament, canvassed sanctions in line with the traditions and
relevant Protocols of ECOWAS, rather than any form of military actions, should
dialogue and judicial options fail.
He said: “From Liberia to Sierra Leone,
Cote D’Ivoire, among others, West Africa has seen so much bloodletting and
political instability. Heavy destruction of lives and property has also been
visited on the sub-region by insurgency and terrorism, which remain present
danger to the peace and security of West Africa.
“Instructively, what normally started
like child’s play often resulted in protracted, but avoidable political
upheavals and fratricidal wars. This is why the people of West Africa,
especially the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, must tread
with utmost caution to ensure that the sub-region is not plunged into yet
another needless bloodletting and humanitarian crisis over the Gambian
political challenge.
“Importantly, we must all acknowledge the
fact that Gambia is a sovereign state. If her Constitution and electoral laws allow
for judicial role in resolving electoral disputes, then the Gambian constitutional
courts must be allowed to count in resolving the political impasse.
“It could also amount to setting a bad
and crisis-triggering precedence if the Gambian laws are preempted and her
sovereignty breached. The sub-region must uphold the rule of law for the sake
of the peace, stability, and prosperity of Gambia. We must take all necessary
steps as a sub-region to steer the West African nation and indeed the entire
Community away from any looming bloodshed and monumental destruction”.
Ekweremadu, however, commended ECOWAS
Heads of State and Government for their concern and commitment to resolving the
political situation in Gambia.
“I am aware that several high level
meetings have been held and several missions undertaken to the Gambia as a way
of finding solution to the problem. Importantly, our President, President Muhammadu
Buhari, is now charged with the responsibility of driving the efforts and I
wish him sufficient wisdom to address and resolve the political situation
without any resort to military option”, he added.
Ekweremadu also charged the Gambian
authorities to ensure the protection of the fundamental and political rights of
the Gambians and the opposition to avoid escalation of the political crisis.
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