PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has condemned the political situation in Gabon, expressing his deep concern over the country’s sociopolitical stability and the growing influence of autocracy in various African regions.
The special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, while speaking with State House correspondents on Wednesday, August 30, says Tinubu is working closely with other Heads of State in the African Union towards a comprehensive consensus on the next steps forward.
The President’s reaction is coming a few hours after a group of Gabonese military officers appeared on national television on Wednesday, August 30, announcing an end to the current regime.”
The president of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba, was deposed by a group of senior military officials following the just concluded general elections, which ushered him in for a third term.
The officers said they had cancelled the just concluded elections as the process was not credible.
“In the name of the Gabonese people … we have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,” the officers said.
The officers also announced the closure of all borders and dissolved state institutions.
Reacting to this, the presidency said: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is watching developments in Gabon very closely with deep concern for the country’s sociopolitical stability and the seeming autocratic contagion apparently spreading across different regions of our beloved continent,” he said.
“The president, as a man who has made significant personal sacrifices in his own life, in the cause of advancing and defending democracy, has all of the unwavering belief that power belongs in the hands of Africa’s great people, and not in the barrel of a loaded gun.”
According to him, the rule of law and a faithful recourse to constitutional resolutions and instruments of electoral dispute resolution must not at any time be allowed to perish from Africa.
He also stated that the President is “working very closely and continuing to communicate with other heads of state in the African Union towards a comprehensive consensus on the next steps forward with respect to how the crisis in Gabon will play out into how the continent will respond to the contagion of autocracy we are seeing spread across our continent”.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M
Tinubu respond against Gabon cupist’ it’s not engage Dialouge because the person who can’t solved his Bloc crisis how he did solving other Bloc crisis? He can’t said Oumer! The President must restore his Diplomatic Policy that it’s not good Policy’ if we look Niger Situation Tinubu led the West Africa Bloc and Sanctioned Military junta without Invite Junta delegate to meet with Bloc Members for Dialouge.