Timi Frank, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a statement, characterized the recent departure of three member states from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during Bola Tinubu’s leadership as a source of national disgrace and shame for Nigeria.
According to DAILY POST, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger’s military regimes declared their immediate withdrawal from ECOWAS last Sunday, opting to join forces in an Alliance of Sahel States.
Fractured relations between the regimes and ECOWAS escalated following coups in Niger (July 2023), Burkina Faso (2022), and Mali (2020). Despite ECOWAS suspending and imposing heavy sanctions on Niger and Mali, the three countries remained firm in their stance.
Frank criticized Tinubu for failing to peacefully resolve the longstanding issues, which resulted in the departure of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from the regional body. He contrasted Tinubu’s leadership with the previous leaders who played pivotal roles in maintaining unity and peace within the subregion.
He said: “Since assuming office as President of Nigeria, Tinubu has demonstrated his lack of nuanced understanding of regional politics and empathy for poor and suffering Nigerians – his primary constituency.
“No man can give what he does not have. His poor leadership of the regional body has led to its ongoing disintegration just as it has brought untold hardship upon Nigerians.
“Whether Tinubu likes it or not, he met the 15-member regional group established about 49 years ago intact when he assumed the reins of leadership as chairman in July 2023. But history will record that things fell apart during his ineffectual, riderless and neglectful stewardship in less than seven months.
“Your inexperience and that of those handling the economy has destroyed our economy.
Investors are hesitant to enter the region, especially Nigeria, as they continue to withdraw from the country on a daily basis.
“For instance, Tinubu met the exchange rate of Naira to Dollar at about N600 to a dollar but today it is about N1,500 to a dollar.
“Besides, his knee-jerk removal of fuel subsidy has further impoverished Nigerians with people finding it difficult to feed or afford skyrocketing transport fares.
“Above all, insecurity is on the increase with the nation’s capital – FCT – and other parts of the country rendered increasingly unsafe by incessant kidnappings and gruesome killings.”