President Bola Tinubu says African leaders can avert military coups on the continent by prioritising good governance. Tinubu, who is the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), made the statement on Sunday while addressing the 64th ordinary session of the authority of heads of state and government at the state house in Abuja.
He implored West African leaders to prioritise good governance and collective prosperity as an essential tool to prevent authoritarian takeover of power and unconstitutional change of government in the region.
“The delivery of good governance is not just a fundamental commitment; it is also an avenue to address the concerns of our citizens, to improve their quality of life, and create a stable environment conducive to the achievement of sustainable development,” Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to Tinubu on media and publicity, quoted the president as saying.
“By providing good governance that tackles the challenges of poverty, inequality and other concerns of the people, we would have succeeded in addressing some of the root causes of military interventions in civilian processes in our region.”
The ECOWAS chairman further said the plan to float the ‘Sahel Alliance’ comprising Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso would not lessen the resolve of the bloc to uphold its commitment to democracy.
Tinubu added that the bloc has outlined specific measures to be taken against any member state opting for unconstitutional change of government.
He encouraged African countries under military rule to embrace “realistic and short transition plans” for the return of democracy.
“While the imposition of punitive sanctions may pose challenges, it is important to underscore that the struggle to protect the fundamental liberties of our Community’s Citizens must be upheld and respected,” he said.
“Without let or hindrance, democracy will win, if we fight for it, and we will definitely fight for democracy.”
Tinubu also appealed to sister African countries to provide the coup-affected countries with technical and material support.