President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that the events in Mali is a great setback to the country and will come with grave consequences stating that a politically stable Mali is crucial to the stability of the sub-region.
Recall that Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita announced his immediate resignation on state television late Tuesday, hours after he and the Prime Minister were arrested by mutinous soldiers in a coup.
President Buhari who reacted to the event in Mali said on Thursday, “The events in Mali are great setbacks for regional diplomacy, with grave consequences for the peace and security of West Africa. It is time for the unconstitutional ‘authority’ in Mali to act responsibly and ensure restoration of constitutional order, peace and stability.”
“Nigeria strongly supports the efforts of ECOWAS Chairman, President Mahamadou Issoufou, for wider regional and continental consultations with ECOWAS, the AU and the UN, and the adoption of strong measures to bring a speedy resolution to the situation.
A politically stable Mali is paramount and crucial to the stability of the sub-region. We must all join efforts, ECOWAS, the AU, the UN and other stakeholders, and work together until sanity returns to Mali with the restoration of Civil Administration.”
However, Nigerians like Adeututu Balogun reminded President Buhari of his part during the 1983 coup which overthrew democratically elected government of President Shehu Shagari.
She wrote, “The Nigerian Military Coup of Dec 31, 1983, was led by a group of senior army officers who overthrew the DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED Govt of President Shehu Shagari. Main actors: Majors General Ibrahim Babangida & Muhammadu Buhari, Brigadiers Ibrahim Bako, Sani Abacha, & Tunde Idiagbon”
Meanwhile, the officers who were involved in Mali’s coup d’etat that drew international condemnation pledged on Wednesday to restore stability and oversee a transition to elections within a “reasonable” period.
According to Aljazeera, the spokesman of the coup makers, Colonel-Major Ismael Wague – said they prevented Mali from falling into further chaos.
“The social and political tension has undermined the proper functioning of the country for quite a while,” said Wague, flanked by soldiers.
“Mali descends into chaos day by day [with] anarchy and insecurity because of the fault of the people in charge of its destiny. Real democracy doesn’t go with complacency, nor weakness of the state authority, which must guarantee freedom and security of the people.”
