Respect democracy, rule of law, Tinubu tells African leaders

Respect democracy, rule of law, Tinubu tells African leaders

President Bola Tinubu has charged his fellow African leaders to respect the rule of law and ensure political stability in their respective countries.

He said this at an event organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the margins of Fifth Mid-Year African Union (AU) Coordination Meeting.

The event was held on Saturday in Nairobi, Kenya.

The President urged African military institutions and states to recognise and respect the need for democratic renewal.

Tinubu, who is also the chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, said coup d’état should be discouraged on the continent.

The President’s statement was presented by Ambassador Adamu Ibrahim Lamuwa, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He lamented that West Africa, in spite of 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 is causing threats to peace, security and stability, and engendering poverty, displacement, and humanitarian crises.

He 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.”

Tinubu also said, “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 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, in order to ensure political stability on the continent.”