The House Minority Caucus has cautioned that military intervention is not a permanent solution to the needless military interferences in constitutional democracies across the continent.
In order to prevent the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), or any other international organization from using force or coercion to restore democratic administration in Gabon, the Niger Republic, or any other African nation, the caucus voted against such proposals.
It recognized the main reasons for military intrusions into administration as being poor governance, excessive ambition, and blatant alienation from the people.
But in a statement released on Friday, its leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, voiced his unhappiness at the continent’s growing trend of military adventurism.
He called the unexpected rise in military coups that the continent has seen in recent years “extremely sad, deeply unsettling, and pathetically shameful.”
The caucus believed that this trend had undone the gains made during the democratic efforts for the restoration of civil rule that took place in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The caucus made the point that military interventions under any cover will be welcomed and even celebrated by the people of those countries when compared to the suffering and pain that sit-tight leaders have inflicted on helpless citizens who have endured years and decades of poor governance, enormous economic hardship, repeated social deprivation, pervasive poverty, deliberate intimidation, and corrosive lack.
Chinda stated:
“However, it is imperative to state in clear terms that the use and deployment of brute force, and aggression in whatever guise is not the solution to the problems at hand.
“While the Caucus condemns in entirety any plans by either the AU, UN, or any global association to use force or coercion in restoring democratic governance in Gabon, Niger Republic or any other country in Africa, we urge all leaders in Africa to pursue, and enthrone good governance.
“This is the only panacea towards arresting, and stopping unnecessary military interruptions in constitutional democracy across the continent.”