Gabon Coup: Atiku reveals how to end military takeovers in Africa

Atiku Abubakar, the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party in the February 25 presidential election, has condemned the recent military coup in Gabon, a central African country.

In a tweet on Thursday, August 31, the former vice president expressed worry about the spate of military coups in Nigeria, adding that the continent now needs to focus on the disease rather than the symptoms.

In the wee hours of Wednesday, August 31, some army officers in Gabon announced the taking over of power and nullified the recent election in the country.

The military also closed the country's borders and shut down all state institutions while the rule of law immediately went into suspension.

But Atiku maintained that the Gabonese military action marked the eighth of its kind in the African continent since 2020, adding that the development.

The PDP chieftain said: "The latest coup brings the number of military takeovers in Central and West Africa to 8 since 2020. This is worrisome and calls for introspection. We may have to focus on dealing with the disease and not the symptoms that birth coups."

Atiku added that democracy and democratic governance are preferred and that the people should be done to sustain, enthrone and nurture it. He then urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to open talks with the affected countries' military leaders so they could return to the barracks.

The former vice president said: "The ECOWAS and African Union authorities should open a window of diplomatic engagement that will pave the way for the soldiers to return to the barracks."

Read his tweet below:

The coup in Gabon stands condemned. Democracy and democratic governance have come to stay as a preferred form of government, and everything should be done to enthrone, nurture, and sustain it. As I suggested in the case of the Niger Republic, the ECOWAS and African Union…

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) August 31, 2023