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Gowon urges ECOWAS to lift sanctions on Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger
Former Nigerian head of state and one of the founding fathers of the Economic Community of West African States, Yakubu Gowon, has urged the regional political and economic union to lift sanctions on Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic.
Gowon made the call in an open letter to the Heads of State and the ECOWAS member states on Wednesday.
Widely seen as West Africa’s top political and regional authority, the 15-nation bloc of ECOWAS – formed in 1975 to promote economic integration in member states – has struggled in recent years to reverse a wave of military takeovers in the region, including Mali in 2020 and 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Niger last year.
Members of the fifteen-nation bloc (excluding the four members suspended since falling under military rule – Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger), along with the eight-member West African Economic and Monetary Union, agreed to close all borders with Niger, suspend financial transactions and freeze the country’s assets in external banks.
The three countries, which mulled a counterforce, the Alliance of Sahel States, against the regional bloc after the overthrow of the democratically elected government in Niger, announced their exit from ECOWAS on Sunday, January 28, 2023.
In a joint statement by their military leaders, Capt. Ibrahim Traoré (Burkina Faso), Col. Assimi Goita (Mali), and Brig. Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani (Niger Republic), the three countries announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS with immediate effect.
The three countries, which are currently under military rule, said they ceased to be members of ECOWAS as the regional body had allegedly “moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and pan-Africanism.”
They claimed that ECOWAS had become a threat to its member states.
Gowon, who presented the letter to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, in Abuja at a press conference, expressed concern that the pronouncement by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic to exit from ECOWAS threatens the unity of the bloc and has far-reaching implications for ordinary citizens.
He said, “It saddens me to learn that ECOWAS is threatened with disunity following the announcement by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, three important Member States, of their intention to leave the Community.
“The impact of such a decision will have far-reaching implications for the ordinary citizens who have been the major beneficiaries of regional integration.”
Gowon called on the ECOWAS authorities to immediately consider the implementation of the “lifting of all sanctions that have been imposed on Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger.”
He appealed to the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, including leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, to re-unite for peace and stability in the region.
“Therefore, on behalf of all the founding fathers of the Community and myself, I urge the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, including the leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, to put aside their differences and reunite for the peace, stability and prosperity of our sub-region,” Gowon said.
Members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Dutse, Jigawa State.
They are demanding that INEC formally recognise the party’s national leadership led by David Mark.
The protest comes amid growing political tension in the state, as internal party disputes and defections intensify ahead of party primaries and the next general elections.
According to reports, the protesters marched to the INEC office in the state capital without incident and submitted a petition to the commission.
Speaking after the protest, the Jigawa ADC Youth Leader, Manniru Aminu, accused INEC of overstepping its authority and said the commission cannot determine legal disputes involving court rulings.
“INEC does not have the constitutional power to interpret court rulings. That responsibility lies with the judiciary,” he said.
The group also claimed that INEC is not acting neutrally in handling internal party issues, which they described as a threat to democratic fairness.
They insisted that the leadership of the ADC under David Mark remains the only legitimate and constitutionally recognised structure of the party.
The protesters demanded that INEC immediately restore the Mark-led leadership on its official records and website.
They also called for a public apology from the commission and urged that those responsible for the alleged bias be held accountable.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Fatima Zuntu as the director-general and chief executive officer of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).
In a statement on Monday, Chris Ugwuegbulam, head of information and public relations at the office of the secretary to the government of the federation, said the appointment takes effect from April 16.
Ugwuegbulam said Zuntu will serve an initial term of four years, in line with section 5 of the National Biosafety Management Agency Act, 2015.
He said Zuntu is a public health professional and policy strategist with experience in implementing national programmes.
Ugwuegbulam said the president has tasked the new NBMA boss to deploy her expertise towards advancing the agency’s mandate.
Zuntu’s appointment comes amid ongoing scrutiny over leadership qualifications at the biosafety agency.
In December 2025, a non-governmental organisation filed a freedom of information (FOI) request seeking to verify the academic and professional credentials of Bello Bwari, the former NBMA director-general.
The group raised concerns that Bwari, a lawyer by training, may not have met the statutory requirements for the role, noting that section 5 of the NBMA Act stipulates that the agency’s head must possess at least a master’s degree in biological sciences or a related field.
The NGO’s request, submitted to the federal ministry of environment, asked the government to disclose documents relating to Bwari’s qualifications and the process leading to his appointment.
The organisation criticised the lack of transparency, warning that such issues could undermine public confidence in biosafety regulation and scientific governance in Nigeria.
The group said the outcome of the FOI request could set a precedent for accountability in regulatory agencies, particularly those overseeing public health, environmental protection, and biotechnology.
The Labour Party has released the list of chairmen and members of its electoral subcommittees ahead of its forthcoming nationwide congresses scheduled across the country.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the Senior Special Adviser on Media to the Interim National Chairman, Ken Asogwa, the party announced the constitution of the committees to oversee the conduct of ward, local government, and state congresses.
According to the party, the ward congresses are scheduled for Thursday, April 23, 2026, while local government congresses will be held on Friday, April 24, 2026. The state congresses are fixed for Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The subcommittees, which the party said are composed of “experienced and respected party members”, have been mandated to ensure smooth conduct of the exercises in their respective states.
The appointed chairmen are, “Hon. Iheanacho Obioma (Abia); Francis Kim (Adamawa); Ekong Philip Solomon (Akwa Ibom); Chief Tony Asuoha (Anambra); Malam Mustapha Adamu (Bauchi); Beredugo Ebimonyo (Bayelsa); Chief John A. A. Ochoga (Benue); Comrade Buratai (Borno); Urom P. Iyang (Cross River); Hon. Chuks Onitsha (Delta); Chief Mitchell Nwabueze (Ebonyi); Comrade Dr. Saliu Edogiawerie (Edo); Comrade Usman Mohammed (Niger); Owolabi Ezekiel (Ogun); Charles Afolabi (Ondo); Balogun Ibrahim (Osun); Babatunde Yusuf (Oyo); Fakorede Matthew (Ekiti); Dr. David Ogba (Enugu); Comrade Adoga S. Knaabayi (Gombe); Hon. Chinagorom Nwankpa (Imo); Comrade Mustapha Garba (Jigawa); Dr. Emmanuel Barau (Kaduna); Comrade Kabiru Said (Kano); Pastor Ishaku Izang (Plateau); Hon. Amaobi Ogah (Rivers); Professor Muhamuda Muhammad (Sokoto); Barrister Jesse Williams (Taraba); Mukhtar Hassan (Yobe); Haila Ayuba Baja (Zamfara); Comrade Ismail Bello (Katsina); Comrade Muh’d H. Birnin (Kebbi); Hon. Samuel Ajare (Kogi); Bodunde David Adebayo (Kwara); Chukwuemeka Ogbanna (Lagos); Comrade Dr. Muttaqa Yushau (Nasarawa); and Comrade Rose Uba-Anarah (Federal Capital Territory).”
In her message to the subcommittee members, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Nenadi Usman, urged them to discharge their duties with fairness, transparency, and integrity, stressing the importance of the party’s core values.
She said they must remain guided by the principles of “equal opportunity and social justice”, adding that the credibility of the party must be upheld throughout the congress process.
The party also reaffirmed that its National Convention will hold on Tuesday, 28th April 2026, in Umuahia, Abia State, expressing confidence that all arrangements are in place to ensure a smooth and hitch-free exercise.
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