On Saturday in Nairobi, Kenya, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu urged African leaders to support democracy, the rule of law, and political stability.
Tinubu made the announcement in a statement issued by Dele Alake, the President’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy.
He added that Tinubu was represented by Ambassador Adamu Ibrahim Lamuwa, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Tinubu encouraged African military institutions and governments to realize and accept the need for democratic renewal at a high-level event held by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the sidelines of the Fifth Mid-Year African Union (AU) Coordination Meeting.
He cautioned that the unpleasant trend of the military interfering in politics is endangering peace, security, and stability.
“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 must take deliberate steps to address the root causes of unconstitutional changes and coups d’état in Africa. As a continent, we cannot progress toward achieving the goals and targets of the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, as well as those of the 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 to ensure political stability on the continent,” he stated.
