President Bola Tinubu’s term as chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government comes to an end today at the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority, held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. During this session, he is set to hand over the chairmanship to another leader. Tinubu was unanimously endorsed as chairman in July 2024 during the 63rd Ordinary Session in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.
Throughout his tenure, Tinubu faced numerous challenges, notably dealing with military coups in Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea. Initially, he adopted a firm stance against these unconstitutional changes of government, overseeing the imposition of sanctions on the affected member states. However, as the situation evolved, ECOWAS, under Tinubu’s leadership, opted for a more diplomatic and peaceful approach to resolve the crises, leading to the lifting of sanctions.
Moreover, Tinubu played a critical role in ensuring the success of the 2024 Senegalese election by facilitating dialogue between key stakeholders. This effort underscored his strong commitment to promoting democracy and stability in the sub-region. His leadership during this period has been marked by a balance of firmness and diplomacy, aiming to uphold democratic principles while fostering peace and cooperation among ECOWAS member states.