Only Good Governance Can Stop Coups, CSOs Tell African Leaders

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have said a strike force cannot stop coups in West Africa, but that only good governance can do so.

According to the CSOs, instead of engaging in undemocratic tendencies that are angering the citizens to resort to such act, African leaders should focus on tackling insecurity and corruption and not a strike force.

The CSOs said with the level of insecurity on the African continent, no country can sustain a strike force on coup when they are in need of security personnel to fight terrorists and insurgents.

The CSOs who spoke to LEADERSHIP are Transparency International (TI), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG).

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Awwal Musa Rafsanjani the CSOs said the only solution to incessant coups in Africa is for corruption to be tackled and good governance entrenched.

“The only solution to peace and stability in Africa and the ECOWAS subregion is to tackle corruption and provide good governance.

“This is the only remedy to the coup threat. If West African leaders continue with bad governance, corruption, insecurity, it will be difficult to run away from coups because citizens will go against their leaders,” Rafsanjani said, adding that such is the only cure to coups.

“Politicians need to be more responsible and responsive. That is the only cure to coups. But if they refuse to allow credible elections in their countries, if they refuse to give the people good governance, then a strike force cannot stop coups.

“Each of the countries is facing numerous security challenges. It’s not just about the pronunciation of a strike force. Where will they get the personnel when every country is battling with insecurity?

“In Nigeria, almost every state is facing intervention by the military for security issues. Do we have enough security personnel to be used as a strike force against  coups? Politicians must be responsive.

“The only issue or cure is good governance, betterment of lives and protection of property. It should not be about coups, they should not be talking about a strike force against coups.

“If leaders are looking for tenure elongation, if leaders are engaged in corruption, if leaders cannot address issues around poverty, do you think the people will support that?

“We are calling on African leaders especially those in West Africa not to create conditions that will make people revolt against democracy.

“The leaders should know that they must provide good governance, fight insecurity, poverty and refrain from undemocratic tendencies. That’s the only way they can’t experience coups,” he said.