Photo of Senegalese parliamentarian Guy Marius Sagna. Screenshot from the video “C'est le Sénégal contre la Côte d'Ivoire dans la CEDEAO – Des tensions éclatent au Parlement” on the French Africa YouTube channel. Fair use.

Owing to a shift in strategic alliances in West Africa, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is facing a legitimacy crisis, as the sharp remarks of Guy Marius Sagna, a Senegalese parliamentarian in this regional organization’s parliament highlight. Although Africa accounted for more than 54.8 percent of the global poverty rate in 2022, Sagna questioned using the word “poverty” to describe the situation in many African countries.

ECOWAS was created on May 28, 1975, to facilitate cooperation and integration. It was founded on the premise of community to defend the interests of its people. Like the National Assembly of each member state, the institution’s founders established an ECOWAS parliament on July 24, 1993, to achieve several objectives:

Renforcer la démocratie représentative dans la Communauté ; Contribuer à la promotion de la paix, de la sécurité et de la stabilité en Afrique de l’Ouest ; Informer et sensibiliser les populations de la région ouest-africaine sur les enjeux de l’intégration ; Promouvoir et défendre les principes des droits de l’homme et de la démocratie, l’état de droit, la transparence, la responsabilité et la bonne gouvernance ; Contribuer à la mise en œuvre efficiente et efficace des objectifs et des politiques de la Communauté ; etc…

Strengthen representative democracy in the community; Contribute to the promotion of peace, security, and stability in West Africa; Inform and alert the public about integration issues in the West African region; Promote and defend human rights, democracy, the rule of law, transparency, accountability, and good governance; Contribute to the effective and efficient implementation of community objectives and policies

This parliament has 115 seats, with each of the 15 member states holding five. A further 40 seats are allocated in proportion to each country’s population. To be eligible to sit in this parliament on behalf of their own country, a person must first be a member of parliament in said country.

Daring to criticize African leaders

This region faces various political, economic, and security issues, thus casting doubt on its leaders and their policies. The ECOWAS parliament often addresses these issues.

Read: ECOWAS: Once a bastion of regional integration is now highly contested

During a parliamentary session at the institution’s headquarters in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, on July 26, 2024, a heated argument broke out between Senegalese parliamentarian Guy Marius Sagna and Ivorian parliamentarian and vice-president of this parliament Adjaratou Traoré. Sagna’s principled stance was the subject of dispute. He accused some of the region’s heads of state, including the president of Côte d'Ivoire Alassane Dramane Ouattara, of pursuing policies that impoverished the people of West Africa.

Here is a clip from the video showing the argument between the two parliamentarians:

Delivering his speech after a representative from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Guy Marius Sagna insisted that reports say “Africa’s impoverishment” rather than “poverty in Africa.” In his view, the problem is not poverty but the leaders’ mismanagement and monopolization of the abundant resources on this continent. He said:

Nous sommes les pays les plus riches de la planète. Tant que l’on dira que l’Afrique de l’Ouest est pauvre, cela signifie qu’ils font partie du problème. Mais pourquoi ne pas dire appauvrissement ? Qui a appauvri l’Afrique ? Ce sont nos présidents…

We are the wealthiest countries on the planet. As long as we say that West Africa is poor, this means they are part of the problem. But why not say impoverishment? Who impoverished Africa? Our presidents…

Adjaratou Traoré subsequently responded:

La liberté de parole ne veut pas dire que vous devez dire n’importe quoi à l’endroit des chefs d’État. C’est du n’importe ce que vous dites. Vous ne pouvez pas vous adresser aux chefs d’État de cette manière, ce ne sont pas vos amis…

Freedom of speech doesn’t mean you should just say anything about the heads of state. What you say is nonsense. You can’t address heads of state like that. They’re not your friends.

According to ECOWAS, the parliamentarians’ primary concern is the people’s everyday well-being. The organization stipulates that all means should be taken to ensure leaders fulfill their commitments. The Senegalese parliamentarian simply fulfilled his role by calling out certain leaders.

Before this heated and, at times, provocative argument, Guy Marius Sagna also raised some other significant issues, like dictatorship and restrictions on freedom with parliament:

Mon discours au parlement de la CEDEAO sur la dictature néocoloniale au Togo, les interdictions arbitraires de manifester, le coup d'État constitutionnel annonciateur d'un coup d'État militaire… pic.twitter.com/uNcEXLZ3LS

— Guy Marius SAGNA (@GuyMariusSagna) July 12, 2024

My speech to the ECOWAS parliament on the neo-colonial dictatorship in Togo, the arbitrary bans on protests, and the constitutional coup d’état heralding a military coup… pic.twitter.com/uNcEXLZ3LS

— Guy Marius SAGNA (@GuyMariusSagna) July 12, 2024

Those who support Guy Marius Sagna

The first show of support for Guy Marius Sagna came from Togo. Twenty or so Togolese civil society organizations expressed their support for Sagna for defending the interests of the ECOWAS people. Togolese politician Nathaniel Olympio echoed this sentiment on X:

Agressé et menacé par des députés du @ECOWASParliamnt de la @ecowas_cedeao, parce qu’il défend les intérêts des peuples, le front « Touche Pas A Ma Constitution », par ce communiqué, apporte son soutien ferme à Guy Marius Sagna. #TogoChangeEn2024 #TouchePasAMaConstitution… pic.twitter.com/9c4PCAF00m

— Nathaniel Olympio (@nathanielolymp) July 24, 2024

[Post on X]

Attacked and threatened by members of @ECOWASParliamnt for defending the people’s interests, the “Don’t Touch My Constitution” political group lends its firm support to Guy Marius Sagna with this statement. #TogoChangeEn2024 #TouchePasAMaConstitution…

Image: Don’t Touch My Constitution

Press Release 24 July 2024

Support for the Senegalese parliamentarian Guy Marius Sagna, threatened with expulsion from the ECOWAS parliament by a Togolese parliamentarian

The “Don’t Touch My Constitution” political group strongly condemns the threats against Senegalese parliamentarian Guy Marius Sagna in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliament. This Senegalese parliamentarian is the target of an expulsion petition that a Togolese parliamentarian launched.

“Don’t Touch My Constitution” offers its unwavering support to the Senegalese parliamentarian who defends the people of this community within the ECOWAS parliament, especially the Togolese people who express their gratitude to the Senegalese people.

During the first ordinary session of 2024, held from July 1 to July 24, 2024, Mr Sagna was brave enough to expose the misconduct that the citizens of this community denounced. He also pointed out the corruption of the heads of state and governments that act as a union. By highlighting the organization’s shortcomings and faults, some of his colleagues are so scared that they want to silence and expel him from parliament. This could happen in a country that doesn’t respect democratic standards, like Togo.

Mr Guy Marius Sagan’s campaign in the ECOWAS parliament appears to be an extension to the views that the president of the Republic of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, expressed at the 65th ECOWAS Heads of State and Government summit. He stated:

“To strengthen the trust between the people and their leaders as per the ECOWAS people-oriented projects, I strongly urge that greater attention be paid to constitutional and republican order by avoiding constitutional revisions and operations for electoral purposes. These are catalysts of conflict that throw countries into turmoil, thus destabilizing them.”

Senegal is clearly responding to the expectations of its people.

This is why “Don’t Touch My Constitution” encourages Senegal to continue its efforts to establish a people-oriented ECOWAS.

pic.twitter.com/9c4PCAF00m

— Nathaniel Olympio (@nathanielolymp) July 24, 2024

Nathaniel Olympio also shared his views on Sagan’s stance towards Togo. He wrote:

#Togo : #Sénégal : En une prise de parole de moins de trois minutes devant le Parlement de la @ecowas_cedeao, le député sénégalais, @GuyMariusSagna a donné une belle leçon de démocratie et de panafricanisme aux 108 députés choisis par le pouvoir togolais, à commencer par la… pic.twitter.com/pIRy0eFCEM

— Nathaniel Olympio (@nathanielolymp) July 12, 2024

#Togo #Sénégal: In his speech less than three minutes long to the @ecowas_cedeao parliament, Senegalese parliamentarian @GuyMariusSagna gave a fine lesson in democracy and pan-Africanism to the 108 parliamentarians that the Togolese government chose. These parliamentarians included @MemounaIbrahima, who chaired the meeting. This is how a corrupt regime is humiliated on an international level. pic.twitter.com/pIRy0eFCEM

— Nathaniel Olympio (@nathanielolymp) July 12, 2024

Similarly, another Togolese political figure, Habia Nicodème, wrote:

Le député Sénégalais Guy Marius Sagna s'exprimant devant le parlement de la CEDEAO présidé par une député togolaise a averti le gouvernement togolais qu'il peut y avoir un coup d'état ou un mouvement populaire qui peut emporter faure gnassingbé à tout moment. pic.twitter.com/nf5EQK7vbC

— Habia Nicodeme, MBA (@NicodemeHabia) July 11, 2024

Speaking to the ECOWAS parliament, which a Togolese member of parliament chairs, Senegalese parliamentarian Guy Marius Sagna warned the Togolese government that a coup d'état or popular movement could overthrow Faure Gnassingbé at any given moment. pic.twitter.com/nf5EQK7vbC

— Habia Nicodeme, MBA (@NicodemeHabia) July 11, 2024

In Côte d'Ivoire, Adjaratou Traoré has come under criticism. As can be seen in this CI-News TV program that Sissoko Sora Demba, a citizen from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), posted on X:

🔴CIV🇨🇮/Les vrais Ivoiriens🇨🇮 se prononcent sur le comportement de la Député #Adjaratou_Traoré contre @GuyMariusSagna du Sénégal🇸🇳 au parlement de la @ecowas_cedeao…@DoumIbrahima225, @Ivoirowsky, @M_Koulibaly, @KobresTchele, @ProAO5 vous pouvez passer le message…!? pic.twitter.com/cNjvURcimi

— Sissoko Sora Demba (@DelphineSankara) July 24, 2024

🔴CIV🇨🇮/True Ivorians🇨🇮 express their views on #Adjaratou_Traoré‘s behavior towards Senegalese parliamentarian GuyMariusSagna 🇸🇳 in the @ecowas_cedeao parliament…@DoumIbrahima225, @Ivoirowsky, @M_Koulibaly, @KobresTchele, @ProAO5 can you spread the word…!? pic.twitter.com/cNjvURcimi

— Sissoko Sora Demba (@DelphineSankara) July 24, 2024

André Kangni Afanou, a Togolese civil society figure, is starting to question the future of ECOWAS. On Facebook, he asks:

Sur la CEDEAO, on savait presque qu'il ne fallait pas attendre grand chose des Chefs d'Etat et de gouvernement ou de la Commission de la CEDEAO. On commencait à penser que quelque que chose de bon pourrait venir du Parlement.
Mais alors, que penser de cette prise de position du Bureau du Parlement de la CEDEAO ? Les membres du Bureau auraient ils vraiment peur de “se faire gronder” par les Chef d'Etat ?
A cette allure, ne risque t-on pas de nous annoncer dans les jours à venir que le parlement serait dépouiller de ses prérogatives et que les députés devraient soumettre leurs déclarations à leur gouvernements pour approbation avant de les présenter ?
Devant qui les députés sont ils vraiment redevables ? Les Chfs d'Etat ou les peuples ?
Inéluctablement, nous sommes à croisée des chemins. Soit la CEDEAO entame se donne le courage de se réformer pour répondre aux aspirations des peuples, soit elle reste dans une posture conservatrice et alors, elle creuserait le fossée avec les citoyens et risque de courir vers sa perte.
L'histoire s'écrit sous nos yeux. A chacun d'assumer ses choix.
Que Dieu nous aide.

Post on Facebook: As far as ECOWAS is concerned, we pretty much knew that we shouldn’t expect too much from the Heads of State and Government or the ECOWAS Commission. But we were beginning to think something good could come from this parliament.
So, what should we make of the ECOWAS parliament’s stance? Are parliament members really afraid of being scolded by the heads of state?

At this rate, aren’t we at risk of hearing that parliament will be stripped of its powers in the coming days and that parliamentarians must submit their statements to their governments for approval before presenting them? To whom are parliamentarians really accountable? The heads of state or the people? We inevitably find ourselves at a crossroads. ECOWAS will either summon up the courage to reform itself to meet the people’s expectations or maintain its conservative stance, thus running the risk of widening the gap with its citizens and ultimately leading to its demise.

History is being written before our eyes. We must each make our own choices. God help us.

Statement: Fifth Legislature

First Ordinary Session 2024

From July 1 to July 24, 2024

BUREAU STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE ECOWAS PARLIAMENT

The Bureau wishes to express its deep concern and disapproval over the verbal excesses towards the Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS member states by one of us during our session.

As members, we are free to express our different points of view and consider dissenting opinions, provided that these views are based on the values of respect, solidarity, and cooperation that underpin our regional organization. As such, any unparliamentary remark will not be accepted or tolerated, as it does not align with the spirit of fraternity and collaboration that should take precedence in the ECOWAS region and beyond.

The Bureau recognizes and appreciates the efforts of our founding fathers, who have long worked to strengthen our integration and unity to promote peace, stability, and economic development in our region.

Therefore, the Bureau strongly condemns any statement or action that contradicts the ECOWAS principles and values and casts the  institution into disrepute.

The Bureau strongly urges all parliamentarians to continue working in the interest of regional integration and the well-being of our people. Our challenges require stronger cooperation and constructive dialogue, not verbal attacks or division.

The ECOWAS parliament remains committed to promoting democracy, good governance, and respect for human rights. Being a community parliament does not exempt us from the obligation to respect and show courtesy towards our heads of state and government.

The Bureau urges all parliament members to act by the Additional Act and the internal regulations of the ECOWAS parliament.

Moreover,  the ECOWAS parliament reaffirms its support for and cooperation with the Authority of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS to meet the people’s expectations in this community.

Long live ECOWAS

Long live the ECOWAS parliament

Thank you

At a time when ECOWAS leaders are stepping up their efforts and appealing for Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to return to the organization after withdrawing in January 2024, a controversy like this is unlikely to restore the organization’s image.

Read: Geostrategic shift: Burkina Faso, Mali, and  Niger withdraw from ECOWAS