Tinubu condemns Gabon coup, says rule of law must be upheld

President Bola Tinubu has expressed his deep concern about the recent political events in Gabon, where the military has taken control of the government. He is worried not only about the stability of the oil-rich Central African nation but also about the apparent spread of autocratic actions across various parts of Africa.

The President’s concerns were conveyed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, during a conversation with reporters at the State House on Wednesday. President Tinubu strongly believes that upholding the rule of law and ensuring that electoral disputes are resolved through constitutional means are crucial for Africa’s progress and development.

President Tinubu’s reaction comes shortly after a group of Gabonese military officers appeared on television to announce their takeover of the government. They declared an end to the current regime and invalidated an election that had previously declared President Ali Bongo Ondimba as the winner.

It’s worth noting that this situation coincides with ongoing efforts by Nigeria, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the African Union to address the crisis in Niger Republic, which arose due to a military-led seizure of government.

Power does not belong in the barrel of a gun

The Presidential media aide 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.
• “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.”

Ngelale added that Tinubu affirmed that “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 our great continent”.

According to him, 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”.

This is a developing story…