Respect democracy, rule of law, Tinubu tells African leaders

President Bola Tinubu, on Saturday, in Nairobi, Kenya, called on African leaders to respect democracy, the rule of law and ensure political stability.

In his statement at a high-level event organised by the United Nations Development Programme on the margins of the Fifth Mid-Year African Union Coordination Meeting, the President urged African military institutions and states to recognize and respect the need for democratic renewal.

This was disclosed by the President’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, on Saturday.

Tinubu, who recently emerged as the Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States, Authority of Heads of State and Government, said coups d’état should be discouraged in the continent, especially in the face of challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, insecurity and climate change.

The President, in his statement, presented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Adamu Lamuwa, said it was regrettable that West Africa, despite its numerous instruments and mechanisms for promoting democracy and good governance, was leading other regions in the use of unconstitutional means to change governments.

He warned that the ugly trend of the military straying into the political arena was causing threats to peace, security and stability, and engendering poverty, displacement, and humanitarian crises.

‘’This ugly trend has only succeeded in threatening the peace, security and stability of the sub-region and by extension, the African continent, leaving in its trail poverty, internally-displaced persons and humanitarian crises. In the same vein, this ugly trend has also led to food shortages and escalated health challenges.

‘’We therefore must take deliberate steps to address the root causes of unconstitutional changes and coups d’état in Africa. As a continent, we cannot make progress toward achieving the goals and targets of the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, as well as those of AU Agenda 2063 for the “Africa We Want”.

‘’Between 2020 and now, Africa has witnessed six successful coups d’état and three unsuccessful attempts. This rise in military takeovers and unconstitutional changes in government disrupts our democratic processes and undermine stability on the continent,” he said.