April 14, 2012  by John Alechenu and Olalekan Adetayo

President Goodluck Jonathan has condemned and rejected the ongoing attempt by a segment of the military in Guinea-Bissau to subvert the country’s constitution and truncate its democratic process.

The process has been initiated for the election of a legal successor to the late President Malam Bacai Sanha.

Also, the ECOWAS Commission on Friday denounced the political situation in Guinea Bissau and demanded the immediate restoration of constitutional order to allow for the completion of the ongoing electoral process.

Jonathan, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, urged the military high command of Guinea-Bissau to refrain from any further action that could threaten the lives of the elected leaders of the country and the established democratic order.

He, therefore, demanded the immediate release of all those being detained and the restoration of civil democratic rule and constitutional order.

The statement read, “Nigeria is ready and prepared to act in concert with other members of ECOWAS to ensure that the collective effort being made by the people of Guinea-Bissau and friends of the country to entrench democracy, good governance and political stability is not thwarted by an unwelcome military intervention in whatever guise.

“The military leadership of Guinea-Bissau should follow the path of honour and uphold the rightness of the country’s constitutional order in keeping with the global demand for democratic rule and good governance.”

The ECOWAS Commission made its comment in a statement signed by its president, Désiré Kadré Ouedraogo, sent to our correspondent via the email.

The regional body said it was particularly disappointed with the timing of the coup attempt, coming a few days after a joint ECOWAS-AU-UN mission meeting with the military hierarchy to warn against any temptation to disrupt the ongoing electoral process.

-Punch

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