Ex-diplomats protest inclusion of Morocco in ECOWAS

Members of the Committee of Retired Diplomats have said they would mobilise Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to begin protest against inclusion of Morocco in ECOWAS.

President of Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), Prof. Shuaibu A. Ibrahim, who made the assertion at a policy debate in Abuja, said their position against the country’s proposal to join West Africa regional assembly still stands.

He noted that Morocco had many bilateral relations with almost 15 countries in the sub-region, “but its permission and recognition would not be healthy for ECOWAS and others.”

Ibrahim, who stated that the country should continue to maintain its observer status, said: “Each country’s parliaments would have to agree before its entry and our thinking should be individuality interest in approach.

“Can America accept Nigeria in its regional organisations? This means there is a failure in our foreign policy as far as the proposal is concerned. We are going to take legal action against ECOWAS.”

In the same vein, Ambassador Mohammed K. Ibrahim said the debate was a failure to our policy because three former foreign ministers had postulated that it was no issue, and it was supposed to have been nipped in the bud.

According to him, out of 10 Nigerians who spoke on Morocco issue, nine said ‘no’ to the move or throw the proposal away, adding, we would be in forefront to protest so as to avert ECOWAS crisis in future.