Emulate Ghana’s peaceful elections, Tinubu tells African leaders

President Bola Tinubu has called on West African leaders to draw inspiration from Ghana’s recent elections, which he described as a model of democratic maturity and national unity.

A statement on Sunday by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, Tinubu praised Ghana for its peaceful presidential and parliamentary elections held on December 7.

He lauded President Nana Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana for setting a high democratic standard in the region.

“I urge all of us in the region to learn from this good democratic practice and prioritise our country’s national unity to ensure political stability of the region so that this manner of peaceful transition becomes the culture of democracy not only in West Africa but also in the entire Africa continent,” Tinubu said.

Tinubu commended Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for conceding defeat and congratulating President-elect John Dramani Mahama of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) even before the official announcement of results.

“This gesture, as it happened in Nigeria in 2015, demonstrates political maturity and respect for the will of the people of Ghana,” he added.

Tinubu also praised President Akufo-Addo for his leadership during his two-year tenure as chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), describing him as a “formidable Pan-Africanist”.

He extended congratulations to Shirley Botchwey, Ghana’s foreign minister, on her appointment as secretary general of the Commonwealth.

The president used the occasion to commend Senegal for successfully holding parliamentary elections and called on ECOWAS member states to recommit to the bloc’s founding ideals of peace, prosperity, and economic integration ahead of its 50th anniversary in 2025.

“As a regional community, we must maintain our fundamental responsibility: to protect our citizens and create an enabling environment where they can prosper,” Tinubu said.

“Security is not a luxury but a necessity. Equally, enhancing the living standards of our people is not an aspiration but an obligation.”

Tinubu highlighted his administration’s contributions to ECOWAS, including Nigeria’s full payment of its community levy for 2023 and significant remittances for 2024.

The 66th ordinary session of ECOWAS in Abuja was attended by presidents from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, and Senegal, as well as representatives from Sierra Leone, Benin, Togo, and Cape Verde.

Tinubu, who is serving his second term as ECOWAS chair, also highlighted achievements under his leadership, including regional integration, conflict resolution, and counterterrorism efforts.

“Regional infrastructure projects such as the West African Gas Pipeline and the West Africa Power Pool have significantly enhanced connectivity and promoted greater regional integration,” Tinubu said.

“Our efforts in stabilising our region through peacekeeping missions in The Gambia and Guinea Bissau, as well as previous operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone, have demonstrated our capacity to act decisively in the face of adversity.”

Tinubu called for continued commitment to the ECOWAS regional action plan on the fight against terrorism, which he said provides a “comprehensive framework to combat violent extremism and enhance regional security”.