Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called on the world leaders to rise in unison in discouraging military intervention in democratic governance in Africa.
He specifically asked that punitive measures should be taken by all the world organizations against such intervention.
Professor Osinbajo, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the Extraordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government today in Accra, Ghana on the political situation in the Republics of Guinea and Mali, proposed punitive measures and proactive preventive steps towards addressing military intervention in civil rule in the region.
According to him, the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), Commonwealth, and other relevant or related financial institutions should act in unity simultaneously “to suspend a country, where there has been seizure of power, from these bodies.”
At the virtual summit, Professor Osinbajo also proposed engagement with the military junta and all stakeholders in Guinea and the enforcement of necessary “punitive measures that will ensure that the military junta does not overstay in power.”
The Vice President also restated Nigeria’s position calling on all leaders to always respect the principles of democracy and the constitutions of their respective countries.
Nigeria’s position on the situation in Guinea had been restated by Professor Osinbajo at the summit, by asking for the unconditional release of President Alpha Condé and calling for more pressure to be put on the country’s military leaders to return the nation to democratic rule.
Nigeria’s Vice President had commended the efforts of stakeholders in Mali and re-emphasized the need to strictly respect and follow the electoral timetable for transition to civil rule.
ECOWAS leaders in the communique issued at the end of the last special summit in Accra had, amongst other resolutions, decided to freeze the financial assets of members of the military junta, place a travel ban on them, while also demanding that the junta return Guinea to constitutional rule within six months.
Vice President Osinbajo, who leaves Abuja this morning, would be joined by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, and is expected back in Abuja later today.
