Abuja — Niger Republic was on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 suspended from the membership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for its failure to heed the decision of the Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State to postpone legislative elections in the country.

The ECOWAS Heads of States had on Saturday October 17, 2009 in Abuja called on the 71-year-old President Mamadou Tandja to put off the vote indefinitely to allow more dialogue with opposition politicians who had boycotted the election held on Tuesday.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, on behalf of the current ECOWAS Chairman, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, stated that the holding of the elections was in total disregard of the authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government and "a clear move by the authorities in Niger to further entrench the constitutional illegality currently prevailing in the country."

It further said that ECOWAS leaders directed the authorities in Niger Republic to desist from further acts that might deepen divisions within the country and exacerbate its political atmosphere; adding that the country will remain suspended until constitutional legality is reinstated.

ECOWAS leaders had imposed limited sanctions on Guinea Conakry and Niger Republic during the extra-ordinary summit. In this regard, the Heads of States announced the imposition of arms embargo on Guinea and sanctioned Niger by refusing to support any of its candidates for elective posts in any of the international organizations across the globe.

Also in the case of Niger, the West African leaders considered the holding of the referendum of August 4, 2009 and the circumstances of its organization as against the letter and spirit of the Constitution of Niger and a violation of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.