Benin: Cotonou Citizen Summit calls on ECOWAS to enforce political alternation
A view of Cotonou, the capital of Benin (Illustrative image) AP - Salako Valentin
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2 min
150 delegates from civil society organizations, from around ten ECOWAS countries, organized a citizens' summit in Cotonou on good governance, democracy and work-study in the sub-region.
On the initiative, the Togo upright association, while the international citizen movement Turn the page was part of it.
At the end of their work, this Sunday, July 11, a declaration, called the Cotonou Declaration, was read.
It poses as an intangible principle the limitation to two presidential terms.
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With our correspondent in Cotonou,
Jean-Luc Aplogan
The debates for the most part revolved around the limitation of presidential terms, which are not often respected.
Marc ONA, the President of the NGO Tournons la Page, is annoyed at the failure to respect the presidential term limits.
He
gives
us his little card of bad students: “
Togo, Gabon, Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea have made 'eternisation' in power a system of governance.
We hope that Senegal will not follow suit.
"
“
The ECOWAS protocol is clear: no third term,” he
recalls.
ECOWAS must do violence to itself by imposing this requirement on all heads of state in the sub-region.
"
"
Totally flawed electoral processes
"
The Cotonou declaration recommends that “
the limitation of mandates to two quickly becomes an intangible criterion
”.
But election observations are problematic.
"
We are used to witnessing totally flawed electoral processes," declares David Dosseh,
rapporteur and one of the spokespersons for Togo Debout.
However, the ECOWAS announces its satisfaction each time.
We want her to do things differently.
"
A major awareness campaign is planned in the 15 countries of the West African sub-region.
It would still have to be authorized everywhere.
►
To read also: Benin: Patrice Talon promises to limit himself to two presidential terms
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Benin: Patrice Talon promises to limit himself to two presidential terms