Tinubu speaks on coup in Gabon

President Bola Tinubu has reacted to the ouster of President Ali Bongo in Gabon in a military takeover.

The army officers claimed the conduct of the general elections of August 26, 2023 didn’t meet the conditions for a transparent, credible, and inclusive ballot so much hoped for by the people of Gabon.

They also cited irresponsible and unpredictable governance, resulting in a continuing deterioration in social cohesion, with the risk of leading the country into chaos.

But reacting on behalf of President Tinubu on Wednesday, the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale said the presidency was watching closely with deep concern for the country’s social-political stability and at the seeming autocratic contention apparently spreading across different regions of the continent.

Ngelale said the President as a man who has made significant, personal sacrifices in his own life in the course of advancing and defending democracy is of the unwavering belief that power belongs in the hands of Africa’s great people and not in the barrel of a loaded gun.

He said the President affirms that the rule of law and a faithful recourse to the constitutional resolutions and instruments of electoral dispute resolution must not at any time be allowed to perish from our great continent.

“To this end, the President is working very closely and continues to communicate with other Heads of States in the African Union towards a comprehensive consensus on the next steps forwards with respect to how the power in Gabon will play out and how the continent will respond to contagious autocracy we have seen spread across our continent,”the SA stated.