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False! Tinubu did not resign as ECOWAS Chairperson

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Claim: A viral social media post asserted that Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has resigned as chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). 

False! Tinubu did not resign as ECOWAS Chairperson

Full Text 

Bola Tinubu, the incumbent president of Nigeria, has led the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) since July 2023, taking over from the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Embalo. 

An X user, @Naija_PR, recently claimed that President Tinubu, the organisation’s chairperson for a year, has resigned. 

He posted a picture of Mr Tinubu and captioned the post: “BREAKING: President Tinubu has stepped aside as ECOWAS chairman.”

The viral post can also be found on X [formerly Twitter] and Facebook. See here and here

Since July 7, 2024, the post has garnered 131,000 views, 180 reposts and quotes, and 1,000 likes.

Considering its virality, engagement, and implications, DUBAWA is conducting this verification as part of its misinformation campaign in West African countries. 

Verification

DUBAWA carried out a keyword search. The result shows that Tinubu was elected chairperson of ECOWAS on July 9, 2023.

To determine the position’s longevity, we scoured the ECOWAS’s official website and found a constitutional clause that states: “The office of the Chairman of the Authority is held every year by a Member State elected by the Authority.” 

Therefore, the timeframe for the office of any elected chairperson of the union elapses after one year of leadership. In line with this, Mr Tinubu was to leave office on July 9, 2024 — making exactly one year in office.

DUBAWA found an official ECOWAS press release announcing Mr Tinubu’s reelection as head of the regional bloc.

This was during the 65th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, which was recently held at the presidential villa in Abuja. 

Moreover, both Channels and Punch news outlets have also reported the development. 

Conclusion 

Our findings indicate that Tinubu did not resign as chairperson of ECOWAS. He was to leave the office on July 9, 2024, before he was reelected.

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