The 2023 presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the unconstitutional removal of the President of Gabon, Ali Bongo, by the country’s senior military officers.
The former vice president in a statement on Thursday advising the leadership of the Economic Community of West African States to engage these soldiers diplomatically, thus convincing them to return to the barracks.
Recall that Gabonese army officers, under the aegis of the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions on Wednesday, seized power and sacked Ali Bongo as President.
Ali Bongo and his family are currently under house arrest according to TV reports.
The President of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum was also ousted on July 26 by the military Junta of the country.
Reacting to these recurring decimal, Atiku condemned the coups, noting that democracy has come to stay as a preferred form of government.
The statement read, “The coup in Gabon stands condemned. Democracy and democratic governance have come to stay as a preferred form of government, and everything should be done to enthrone, nurture, and sustain it.
“As I suggested in the case of the Niger Republic, the ECOWAS and African Union authorities should open a window of diplomatic engagement that will pave the way for the soldiers to return to the barracks.
“The latest coup brings the number of military takeovers in Central and West Africa to 8 since 2020. This is worrisome and calls for introspection. We may have to focus on dealing with the disease and not the symptoms that birth coups”.
