As global condemnation over rising spate of military coups in some African countries continues, the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has registered in strong terms, its displeasure at the growing trend of military adventurism on the continent.
In a statement issued by the Leader of the Minority Caucus, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, while outrightly condemning the ugly developments, said, “it is extremely sad, deeply worrisome, and pathetically shameful that the continent, in the past few years, has witnessed sudden rise in military coups in some countries thereby rolling back the gains of the democratic struggles for the return to civil rule of the late 1980s and 1990s.
“It is totally condemnable that in the past one decade, military putsch has taken place in Sudan, Mali, Tunisia, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic and now Gabon. That these countries are in the Western, Northern, and Central regions of Africa, which represents more than half of the entire continent calls for serious concerns and debilitating worries.”
Chinda who identified bad governance, inordinate ambitions and outright disconnect from the citizens as the root causes of military incursions into governance, added that, “confronted with the pains and miseries foisted by these sit-tight leaders on hapless citizens, who have been going through years and decades of bad governance, collosal economic hardship, serial social deprivation, deep-rooted poverty, deliberate intimidation and corrosive lack, military interventions of any guise will not only be welcomed but celebrated by citizens of these countries. Fact is, having suffered long and painful years of total neglect by their Leaders through official insensitivity, deliberate class segregation, enforcement of inimical political and economic programmes and other negative decisions and actions, sadly the sound of martial music has become a welcome relief and friend for citizens.”
The Leader of Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives wondered Leaders in these countries in their respective bids to achieve inordinate ambitions take decisions and actions to perpetrate themselves in office, and in some cases turn the Leadership of their county to “family’s birthright.” The now-frequent coups on the continent is also adduced to the sit-tight obnoxious desires of some of these Leaders, who continuously manipulate and compromise the system to achieve their egoistic and undemocratic ambitions.
While highlighting the dangers of military interventions into democratic governance in Africa, he admonished Leaders that, “happenings and recent developments on the continent are warning signs of likely dangers ahead, if not immediately checked by doing the right thing. Revolutions begin with seemingly innocuous incidents but before anyone realizes it, things spiral out of hands. Recall how the French revolution and Arab spring began. With the vagaries of personal and national challenges that has bedevilled many countries, any ambitious group of military officers are likely to leverage on the negative situations and foist themselves on the people.
“The precarious situation and numerous challenges that stifled meaningful growth and development in countries that are witnessing military governance calls for urgent, and immediate intervention by other frontline African Leaders, African Union, United Nations and relevant global bodies. However, it is imperative to state in clear terms that the use and deployment of brute force, and aggression in whatever guise is not the solution to the problems at hand. While the Caucus condemns in entirety any plans by either the AU, UN, or any global association to use force or coercion in restoring democratic governance in Gabon, Niger Republic or any other country in Africa, we urge all Leaders in Africa to pursue, and enthrone good governance. This is the only panecea towards arresting, and stopping unnecessary military interruptions in constitutional democracy across the continent”, he said.
