President Bola Tinubu has implored African leaders to respect democracy and the rule of law and ensure political stability.
President Tinubu made the call in Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday at a high-level event organised by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, on the margins of the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, AU, the Regional Economic Communities, RECs, the Regional Mechanisms, RMs, and the AU member States.
The President left Abuja for Kenya on Saturday morning to join other African leaders for the meeting tagged: “Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA Implementation.”
He was accompanied by his chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila and Dele Alake, his special adviser on special duties, communication and strategy.
The President, in his statement, presented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Adamu Ibrahim Lamuwa, warned that the ugly trend of the military straying into the political arena is causing threats to peace, security and stability, and engendering poverty, displacement, and humanitarian crises.
He regretted that West Africa, despite its numerous instruments and mechanisms for promoting democracy and good governance, is leading other regions in the use of unconstitutional means to change governments.
President Tinubu said: “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 crisis. 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.'”
He added: “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 undermines stability on the continent.
“It is for this reason that I call on all African leaders at all levels to make concerted efforts in respecting the tenets of democracy and the rule of law, to ensure political stability on the continent.”
While stressing that democracy is the best form of government for 21st-century Africa, President Tinubu urged “all Afro-centric supranational organisations, especially the AU, the various regional economic communities and regional mechanisms, to individually and collectively adopt protocols on democracy and good governance, and ensure their effective implementation.”
He noted that democracy ensures good governance, inclusivity, transparency, and accountability and obliged the United Nations to “stand firm and unyielding in its opposition to military coups.”
President Tinubu, who attended the meeting both as Nigerian leader as well as the new chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, expressed his readiness to work with the UNDP and other development partners to advance the course of democracy in the African continent.
The AU mid-year meeting will take place on Sunday, July 16 and the President is expected to return to the country after the meeting.
