Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, has condemned the alleged coup attempt in Ghana. He said democratic elections are the only acceptable way to install and change a government in Africa.
The Ghanaian government said the alleged plot, coming less than a year to the country’s next General Election, was neutralised by security operatives after 15 months of surveillance and gathering of information on the activities of the prime suspects.
The government later announced the arrest of the suspects whom it identified as members of a group known as Take Action Ghana (TAG),
Ghana’s Minister of Information, Kojo Nkrumah, said the group was recruiting young people with the sole aim of destabilising the country.
Reacting to the development on Wednesday through a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, Mr Buhari condemned the plot as an affront on democracy.
Read the statement below:
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
GHANA: PRESIDENT BUHARI SAYS DEMOCRACY ONLY ACCEPTABLE FORM OF GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA
Following the announcement of the interception of an attempted plot against the authorities in Ghana, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has issued the following statement:
“Nigeria and Ghana are leading partners in ECOWAS, and Transparency International, and Afrobarometer’s Africa Index 2019 attested that both countries have recorded exceptional advances in fighting corruption. When you take on powerful and corrupt vested interests successfully, sometimes they seek to push back. As the saying goes, ‘if you fight corruption, corruption will fight back’.
“The only acceptable form of governance in our region in this 21st century is through democratic elections. It is the only way to install – and the only way to change – an administration. The days of coups and government without votes are over.
“All Africans hold the nation of Ghana in the highest esteem as the first post-colonial country to gain independence and the first African country to hold multi-party elections by universal suffrage. Ghana is the first, true African democracy.
“We in Nigeria hold out – as always – our hands in support and friendship to our brothers and sisters in Ghana”.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
September 25, 2019
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