Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, leader of the coup plotter addressing the press on Sunday evening
Blame has continued to trail the condemnatory reactions from Nigeria, the ECOWAS and the African Union over the Sunday coup in Guinea. The portion of the statement that harped on the violation of ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance has attracted the condemnation from constitutional, legal and academic experts.
According to Isaac Albert, professor of African History at the Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan in Oyo State, the regional and global bodies were quiet when ousted President Alpha Conde amended the Constitution to allow him run for a third term against protest from the opposition and the people whom he repressed and suppressed.
“Where were the ECOWAS leaders, the AU leaders and the United Nations when Conde violated the Constitution?” he told Channels TV in an interview on Monday evening programme Diplomatic Channel. “All over African the people are crying over unemployment, insecurity hunger and good governance. What these bodies should be doing is preventive diplomacy to make these countries respond to the complaints of their people. But they do not”
For human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana; “The coup de tat is highly unfortunate but avoidable. Nigeria, AU and ECOWAS are being hypocritical with respect to the political developments in Guinea”, he said, adding that
“They refused to condemn President Alpha Conte’s manipulation of the Guinean Constitution to pave way for his third term agenda. They did not condemn the killing of scores of unarmed protesters and the opposition leaders that were jailed for opposing the third term agenda. As if that was not enough the AU and ECOWAS monitored and endorsed the highly flawed election won by President Conte under the manipulated Constitution.
Pressing his case further, Falana wondered why Nigeria did not condemn the coup de tat in Chad. “In fact the young general was given a rousing welcome in the Presidential Villa in Abuja!”
For Timi Orakoya, the major question is this; “ Corruption and insecurity and other crimes against the people are not in violation of the rights of the people of ECOWAS???. We are watching. When I am thinking is that Nigeria should learn from Guinea.”
Former Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8the National Assembly Shehu Sani, said such reactions from African leaders and regional and continental organisations was a classic case of double-speak.
He said in a tweet on Sunday: “African leaders have a culture of habit of not criticizing or cautioning their counterparts whenever they breach human rights, violate the Constitution or abuse power; then when a coup happens, they condemn, impose sanctions and blockade to save their colleagues.”
These knee-jerk reactions by ECOWAS or the AU have reduced their power to intervene in crisis, the experts contend.
“That is why the way forward in the crisis in Guinea is the same way forward for Mali and Libya; negotiation. It is negotiation because ECOWAS, AU lack power to intervene with such unconstitutional government.” Said Professor Albert.
Regional body ECOWAS, Continental body AU, the United Nations and Nigeria, have all issued statements separately in condemnation of the putsch.
ECOWAS, in a statement demanded, “a return to constitutional rule, failing which sanctions will apply.”
“ECOWAS reaffirms its disapproval of any unconstitutional political change,” the statement, signed by the Chairman, President Akufo-Addo read.
The Ghanaian leader further urged the military to act in a republican manner and expressed “solidarity with the Guinean people and government.”
UN/ Antonio Guterres posted on twitter that, “I am personally following the situation in Guinea very closely. I strongly condemn any takeover of the government by force of the gun and call for the immediate release of President Alpha Conde.”
The 55-member AU also called for an immediate release of Conde in a statement.
The Nigerian Federal Government in a statement titled, ‘Nigerian Government Condemns Could D’Etat In Guinea,’ signed by the Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esther Sunsuwa, said the putsch violates WCOWAS protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
According to her, “The Nigerian government is saddened by the apparent coup d’etat that has taken place in the Republic of Guinea today, in clear violation of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
“The Government of Nigeria strongly condemns and rejects any unconstitutional change of government and therefore calls on those behind the coup to restore constitutional order without delay and protect lives and property.”
Colonel Mamady Doumbouya of the Guinea military who the troops that toppled President Alpha Conde from power after 11 years rein, claimed in a video recorded in the capital Conakry that widespread corruption, poverty and arbitrary rule that divided the country along ethnic lines as Conde favoured his Madinka group over others as key reasons for the takeover.
Doumbouya, surrounded by loyal soldiers who draped themselves in the yellow, red green flag of the country, announced immediate dissolution of the National Assembly, suspended the Constitution with a promise to convene a constitutional conference involving all 24 ethnic groups of a little over 10 million population to draft a new, Peoples Constitution.
Doumbuoya said in a broadcast: “The motive for the takeover is because of rampant corruption, mismanagement and the hardship seen in the country.
“I’m Dumbuya, and I’m forming CNRD, which will steer the country through a transition. I have dissolved the Parliament and Government. I’m ordering the suspension of the Constitution and ordered the closure of the land, border and air space
