Bashir Ahmad, formerly a social media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, has indicated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not be intervening in the political turmoil in Gabon as he did in the case of Niger Republic. Following the news of the deposed Gabonese President, Ali Bongo, and the military’s assumption of power in the country, there have been apprehensions about Nigeria’s role as the leader of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in handling the situation.
It should be noted that both ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) have denounced the coup in Niger Republic and have been discussing strategies to address the removal of a democratically elected president in that country.
Taking to Twitter, Bashir Ahmad reassured Nigerians not to be alarmed or concerned about the involvement of the ECOWAS leader, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
He clarified that Gabon is not part of ECOWAS but rather a member of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), which means Nigeria will not be intervening in the political crisis in Gabon due to regional differences.
In a tweet, he stated, “Let’s stay calm. Gabon is not a part of ECOWAS; the country is affiliated with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). Hence, Nigeria, which leads ECOWAS, will not be engaging in the political crisis in Gabon, at a regional level.”
Furthermore, Ahmad had previously expressed his concern about the resurgence of political instability across Africa, particularly due to the recent coup in Gabon. He observed that Africa is currently grappling with crises in Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, and other nations, which is testing the pursuit of progress on the continent.
He added that the coup in Gabon serves as a stark reminder of how delicate political transitions are in Africa. Such coup incidents raise worries about the continuity of progress in the continent.
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