In his debut address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA, President Bola Tinubu issued a resolute condemnation of the growing incidence of military coups in Africa.
He emphasized that these coups signify a cry for solutions to persisting issues, rather than an indication of Africa’s support for unlawful government changes.
He said, “We must affirm democratic governance as the best guarantor of the sovereign will and well-being of the people. Military coups are wrong, as is any tilted civilian political arrangement that perpetuates injustice.”
In the year 2023, military coups in Niger and Gabon resulted in the overthrow of the democratically-elected governments led by Mohamed Bazzoum and Ali Bongo, respectively.
Africa has experienced a significant number of successful military coups since 1950, totaling 107, which represents a substantial portion of the global count of 24.
The Nigerian leader argued that “the wave crossing parts of Africa does not demonstrate favour towards coups. It is a demand for solutions to perennial problems.”
In relation to Niger, Tinubu appealed for assistance from neighbouring nations, emphasising that the Economic Community of West African States is now engaged in ongoing negotiations with the ruling military regime.
He said “As Chairman of ECOWAS, I seek to help re-establish democratic governance in a manner that addresses the political and economic challenges confronting that nation, including the violent extremists who seek to foment instability in our region. I extend a hand of friendship to all who genuinely support this mission.”
