By Double Standards, the African Union, and ECOWAS Threatens the Continent’s Political Stability

Abstract

From the analysis of the relevant literature review described as the methodology, this paper has advanced the argument that indicts the African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for their double standards in dealing with both military coups and institutional or constitutional coups that threaten the political stability of the continent. The paper argued that both the AU and ECOWAS policy instruments or normative frameworks that prescribe penalties for violations that threaten Africa’s political stability are not only applied to military coups but equally to constitutional or institutional coups conceptualized in this paper. Therefore, the paper concludes that AU and ECOWAS courageousness to denounce military coups quickly and openly without regard to constitutional or institutional coups that often provoke popular uprisings serving as the incentives or grounds for military coup is tantamount to the concept of double standards that threaten the continent political stability. The paper recommends equal treatment for both military coup and constitutional or institutional coup will protect the political stability of Africa.