It was unclear how the prospect of a war between powerful Nigeria and tiny Togo would impact a host of critical problems now faced by Nigeria, including the need to restore confidence in its foreign incestors in the nation's petroleum industry.
The Nigerian Daily Champion reported Thursday:
Senate to Obasanjo: Force Eyadema’s son out
by Malacy Uzendu and Cosmas Ekpunobi
ABUJA -- A thorny path and an uneasy head wearing a disputed crown are beginning to crystallise for the Faure Gnassingbe presidency in Togo as Nigeria’s Senate yesterday empowered chairman of the African Union (AU), President Olusegun Obasanjo to use force, among other means, to remove the Togolese leader from office.
Senate also said it has severed all links with the Togolese Parliament as long as democratic processes were impeded.
West African leaders were meeting in Niamey, the Niger capital, yesterday to decide how to deal with Gnassingbe who, however, in his maiden address promised "free and transparent" general elections "as soon as possible."
Gnassingbe succeeded his father, President Gnassingbe Eyadema, who died last Saturday, after the constitution was hastily amended to allow him to take over and remain in office until 2008.
The Togolese Parliament passed a constitutional amendment the day after Eyadema’s death which allowed Gnassingbe to serve out his father’s term as President until June 2008, a move the AU described as a coup and said it was considering imposing sanctions to restore "constitutional legality."
Togo is sandwiched between Ghana and Benin, which borders Nigeria.
No comments:
Post a Comment