Some retired military generals have warned the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Nigerian government that the way to avert a coup in a country is for the democratically elected government to follow the constitution and promote good governance.
The generals gave the warning in an interview with PUNCH amid a wave of successful coup missions in some other African countries and noted that while coups were not desirable, people no longer wanted to be taken for granted.
On Wednesday, Africa experienced its newest coup, the nation’s second in 2023, when military soldiers in Gabon took control and placed the deposed President, Ali Bongo, and his family members under house arrest. Gabon is located in Central Africa.
A former Chief of Defence Staff, Alexander Ogomudia, said the coups were a mirror of how elected governments controlled their nations.
No one, he says, would have any moral basis for supporting a coup against a government that meets its campaign pledges and upholds the country’s constitution.
He said, “You can’t use what happened in Gabon as a template for what happens everywhere else. For Niger, have you seen the pictures of the country at all? For how many years has France been collecting nuclear materials from that country, and the country is one of the poorest in the world?.
“In my place, we have a saying that if you do anyhow, you will see anyhow. So, whoever was ruling Niger, if he was teaming with foreigners to ruin their country; that is doing anyhow. So, if you have a coup now, it is seeing anyhow. I have no advice.
“Every politician knows what is right. Before resuming office, don’t they campaign? If they stick to those promises why would they have a problem? If I say this road to your place is not good, I will fix it for you, and when I get there and I fix the road, will anyone have the moral justification to support a coup against such a person? Those who are planning coups have their reason for planning it, I can’t speak for them.”
Also, Brig.-Gen. Phillip Ashim, said the way to stop coups in Africa was to ensure that the people enjoy good governance. “That is common knowledge, it is good governance. That’s all,” he added.
In a telephone conversation, a former Commander, 1 Division, Brig.-Gen. John Sura (retd.), said that for coups to end in Africa, leaders must respect their constitution and democratic framework.
