By Emma Ella
There are indications that the administration of President
Muhammadu Buhari is currently flouting the African Union legal opinion on
Western Sahara by engaging in trade with Morocco.
President of the Nigerian National Movement for the
Restoration of Western Sahara, Prof. Dipo Fashina, said Nigeria was putting
its integrity at stake for money.
The AU had regarded as illegal, the exploitation and
exploration of resources from Western Sahara which was recently liberated from
Morocco and Mauritania which took control of the country after Spain was forced
to give it up.
But while Mauritania had reportedly vacated the Western
Sahara, Morocco is still laying siege and exploiting the country.
Buhari, who had committed to the freedom of the liberated economy,
has allegedly turned back to breach the AU declaration by allowing trading
between Nigerian conglomerates, including Dangote and Morocco, which continued
to perpetrate illegality in Western Sahara.
The group alleged that Morocco is alleged to be
exporting phosphate and other materials used for construction projects to
Dangote in clear breach of AU stance.
Fashina said the current administration should defend
the integrity of the country and halt business deals with Morocco.
However, renowned human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN);
the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)
as well as the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) yesterday registered
their opposition against the clamour to admit Morocco into the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Also opposing the admission of the North African country into
ECOWAS are the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN)
and Bolytag Centre for International Diplomacy and Strategic Studies.
Falana blamed the Nigerian Government for exhibiting
weakness in its leadership capacity in the ECOWAS, prompting Morocco to
capitalise on Nigeria's lapses to seek admission into the community.
He said the African continent appeared confused over the
status of Western Sahara because Nigeria refused to act at a critical moment
when the decision on whether or not to admit Morocco was taken by other member
countries.
Nevertheless, he warned that the entry of Morocco into ECOWAS
could result into unprecedented problems for the community and Nigeria.
Falana pointed out that the North African country is not even
qualified to join the community given that it's not within the vicinity of
ECOWAS going by the latter's treaty.
He said Morocco cannot afford to accede to the legal
instrument of ECOWAS given that it operates a monarchical system of government
and can't conduct free and fair elections as required by member countries of
the community.
Furthermore, the legal luminary said if allowed to join the
community, Morocco can't access ECOWAS courts as it does not recognise the
ECOWAS Charter.
He said the current administration must take step to stop the
admission and save Nigeria from ridicule in the international community.
Falana, who spoke at a one-day public hearing on the review
of Nigeria's continued membership of ECOWAS in view of the clamour to admit
Morocco into the community, added that Morocco's entry could subvert the economic
prosperity of the community, Nigeria in particular, because the North African
state has trade liberalisation agreement with the European Union and could
serve as conduit for EU to flood ECOWAS countries with finished goods.
It was organised by Joint Committees on Foreign Affairs and
Cooperation Integration in Africa chaired by Hon. Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje (PDP,
Abia).
Meanwhile, Director-General, Nigeria Institute for
International Affairs (NIIA), Prof. Bukar Bukarambe counseled against Nigeria
exiting the ECOWAS as a result of Morocco's entry bid, cautioning that this
could be catastrophic for the country as it would give room for interventionist
opportunity by Morocco.
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