Prominent human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has called on President Bola Tinubu to lead by example by ensuring Nigeria complies with the judgments of the ECOWAS Court of Justice. Falana made this appeal following Tinubu’s remarks during the 50th anniversary celebration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos.
During the event, President Tinubu, who currently chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, praised the regional body’s commitment to democratic principles, highlighting institutions such as the ECOWAS Parliament and Court of Justice as vital instruments of governance and accountability.
However, Falana, a former President of the West African Bar Association, raised concerns about the ongoing disregard for the ECOWAS Court’s rulings among member states. He noted that as of December 2024, Nigeria had the highest number of unenforced judgments from the court, with a total of 44. Other countries included Togo with 27, Guinea with 15, Mali with 10, and Sierra Leone with 9.
He pointed out the irony that several former leaders, such as Charles Taylor of Liberia and Laurent Gbagbo of Côte d’Ivoire, who had previously ignored the court’s decisions, later turned to the same court for protection of their rights after leaving office.
Falana reminded the public that in 2014, Nigeria designated the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice as the official responsible for enforcing ECOWAS Court judgments. He urged President Tinubu to direct the current Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to implement all pending judgments, stressing that doing so would enhance Nigeria’s regional leadership and reaffirm its commitment to the rule of law.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
