Deputy President of the Senate and First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Jibrin Barau, has described Nigeria’s swift military intervention in Sunday’s attempted coup in the Republic of Benin as an action in decisive defence of democracy in West Africa.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Barau commended President Tinubu for “swiftly acceding” to Benin’s request and ensuring that democratic governance was protected from military disruption.
But elder statesman and former federal Permanent Secretary, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, warned that the surge in military interventions across West Africa signalled a dangerous collapse of democratic governance that could threaten Nigeria if urgent corrective steps were not taken.
That was as African Democratic Congress (ADC) welcomed Nigeria’s intervention in the Benin coup attempt, but urged the federal government to apply similar decisiveness in combating insurgency and banditry in Nigeria.
The failed Sunday morning coup unfolded when soldiers, operating under the banner of Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR), announced the removal of President Patrice Talon in a broadcast on Benin’s state television.
But within hours, Nigerian Armed Forces, acting on the formal request of the Beninese government, moved in to support efforts to restore democracy and constitutional order.
Barau said, in the statement, “I commend the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for promptly responding to the call from the government of the Benin Republic.
“Military rule has no place in our society. Regardless of the situation, democracy remains the best option for our subregion and continent.”
Barau stressed that the speed and effectiveness of Nigeria’s response reaffirmed the country’s leadership role in safeguarding democratic stability across West Africa, especially at a time when the region faced a string of unconstitutional political upheavals.
He added that ECOWAS institutions, including its Parliament, remained committed to strengthening regional cooperation, deepening democratic governance and enhancing security coordination to prevent future disruptions.
Baba-Ahmed: Democracy is Collapsing Around Nigeria, Benin Coup Warning Shot
Baba-Ahmed warned that the surge in military interventions across West Africa indicated a dangerous collapse of democratic governance that could threaten Nigeria, unless urgent corrective steps were taken.
Speaking on Arise News Channel’s Daybreak programme, Baba-Ahmed described the attempted overthrow of the Beninese government, which was halted with the support of Nigerian troops, as “a very worrying development” that should jolt Nigeria’s leadership into recognising that regional democracy was under severe strain.
The former political adviser to Tinubu said, “All around Nigeria, countries are going under. Democracies are collapsing. The truth is that democracy is under attack. Democracy is failing in Africa, particularly in West Africa and the Sahel. This is very worrying.”
According to him, while coups are unacceptable and harmful, democratically elected leaders across the region have themselves become the biggest threat to democracy by failing to govern effectively.
“There must be a marked difference between leaders, who come by force and those who say ‘give me a mandate’. People are not seeing that difference,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed, who is a lecturer at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja, warned that the growing frustration of citizens across West Africa, including in Nigeria, created a fertile ground for military adventurists to exploit public anger.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) chieftain said, “The main reason people start talking about bringing back the military is that they will say the government has abandoned them.
“We don’t want a coup in this country. We don’t want a military government. But we must say very clearly to those elected freely and openly: you need to improve your game.”
Baba-Ahmed said Nigeria must treat the Benin incident as a wake-up call, adding, “This region may collapse if elected leaders don’t change course.”
ADC Welcomes FG’s Intervention, Seeks Similar Resolve in Fight Against Insecurity
ADC welcomed Nigeria’s swift intervention in the Benin Republic after a coup attempt, and urged the federal government to apply similar decisiveness in combating insurgency and banditry in the country.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC noted the government’s ability to act quickly, but also its slow and haphazard response to the banditry and violent crimes devastating communities across Nigeria.
The party expressed great concern about growing democratic reversal in the region, stressing that the best safeguard for democracy is good governance anchored on improved livelihood for the majority and tolerance for opposition.
ADC stated, ‘’We commend the federal government for acting promptly to defend constitutional order in our neighbourhood. However, in doing so, the government must now take the necessary steps to align this intervention with the legal provisions of our Constitution.
‘’While the unilateral action taken by the President might have been expedient, it still has to be subjected to the ratification of the National Assembly as required by the relevant sections of our Constitution for military or security deployment outside Nigeria’s borders.
‘’Even in commending the government, ADC cannot ignore the question that many Nigerians are already asking: why were we not as swift in responding to the crisis in Guinea-Bissau, even when a former Nigerian President was trapped there during a period of instability?
‘’That hesitation stands in sharp contrast to on Monday’s urgency. What changed? What determines when Nigeria acts firmly and when it delays?’’
Chuks Okocha and Sunday Aborisade
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