CSO writes FG, urges withdrawal of funding from ECOWAS

A Civil Society Organisation (CSO) has called on the Federal Government to “immediately withdraw funding’’ from the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).

The Abuja-based CSO, Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER), made the call in a petition dated April 6 and addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Executive Director, CASER, Mr Frank Tietie, signed the petition a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

Tietie hinged the call on alleged undue influence of ECOWAS machinery by the Chairman of the sub-regional body and President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Indications to this effect, according to him, include the recent suspension of the Vice President of the ECOWAS Court, Justice Micah Wright, from judicial service in his home country, Liberia.

Tietie said the suspension of Wright’s law licence in Liberia was politically motivated and intended to provide a base for his removal from the bench of the ECOWAS Court.

Wright was suspended for 12 months by the Supreme Court of Liberia in February over alleged fraud, according to media reports.

But Tietie believes the judge is a victim of witch-hunt by the Liberian president, “who has a political axe to grind’’ with him.

He said Johnson was trying to use her current position as Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government to “unduly influence and compromise’’ the ECOWAS judicial machinery.

“It should be noted that the suspension of law licence of an ECOWAS Court judge is inconsequential since his work as a judge of a transnational court transcends any restrictions imposed on him by a member state.

“The Liberian authorities fail to realise the transcendental nature of the ECOWAS Court but have chosen to exploit the ECOWAS chairmanship of President Ellen Johnson to pursue a political ambition.

“This case in point is the vexatious removal of an ECOWAS Court judge by the Liberian President in her capacity as the ECOWAS Chairman with the mind of replacing him with another Liberian national perceived to the loyal to her government.’’

Tietie said the ECOWAS Judicial Council had scheduled a meeting in Abidjan, Cote D Ivoire, to swear in another judge to replace Wright at the ECOWAS Court.

This, according to him, is despite a pending suit filed by the embattled judge at the ECOWAS Court challenging his suspension by the Supreme Court of Liberia.

He said, “CASER is, therefore, warning that the ECOWAS Judicial Council should take cognizance of its Rules of Procedures, particularly on the procedure for the removal of a Judge.

“CASER is also urging the Nigerian authorities to warn ECOWAS Court of Justice to refrain from being politicised and dragged into the political arena by the President of Liberia.

“Authority of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS, President of ECOWAS Commission, President of ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, and ECOWAS Judicial Council, must take cognizance of the pending suit before the ECOWAS Court.

“They should allow the Rule of Law to prevail.’’

He also urged the Nigerian Government to immediately withdraw funding from any ECOWAS arrangement with no regard for basic norms of justice and human rights.

The CASER executive director noted that Nigeria’s continued support to the ECOWAS judicial system would be useless if the fundamental human right of the judge to fair hearing was not guaranteed by the court.

NAN reports that Nigeria is the largest financial donor to the 15-member body.

The petition was copied to the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Attorney General of the Federation and heads of relevant ECOWAS organs.