Abuja — The Action Congress (AC) has commended the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for standing up for democracy and the rule of law by sanctioning Niger, where the president has changed the country's constitution so that he can run for a third term.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said by its action, the regional bloc had sent a very strong message to leaders who may want to tamper with their countries' constitutions for their selfish ends, implying that such actions would no longer be tolerated.

It said the argument and tepid defence offered by Niger after it was suspended from the 15-member group, did not hold water, as all that President Mamadou Tandja wants is the third term, not the peace and unity of his country as his apologists want the world to believe.

AC said it was particularly delighted that the ECOWAS leaders, who met at an extra-ordinary summit in Abuja last week, reiterated the "unflinching commitment of member states to the principles of democracy and the rule of law, and its rejection of unconstitutional accession to, or maintenance of power in line with ECOWAS protocols and relevant AU instruments".