Sani Shehu, however, said he understands the disappointment and frustration with the African political class
Kehinde Okeowo
Human rights activist and former Nigerian senator, Shehu Sani has joined President Bola Tinubu in kicking against military rule in West Africa, insisting it must be rejected and resisted.
Sani, made this known via a post on his social media page on Thursday, where he insisted that ” “military rule cannot be the solution” to African problems.
Several media outlets had earlier reported that soldiers in Niger Republic staged a coup and ousted the democratically elected government of the country led by President Mohamed Bazoum.
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Reacting to news that members of the Presidential Guard detained the president on Wednesday, his Nigerian counterpart and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) chairman, President Bola Tinubu, said the act will not be tolerated.
Speaking via a statement made available to the press, Tinubu said: “I wish to say that we are closely monitoring the situation and developments in Niger and we will do everything within our powers to ensure democracy is firmly planted, nurtured, well rooted and thrives in our region.”
Reiterating the stance of the Nigerian president, Sani Shehu via his verified Twitter handle, stated that while he understands the disappointment and frustration with the political class, military rule cannot be the alternative.
He tweeted: “Military rule must be totally rejected and resisted in West Africa. Our democracy is not perfect and there is no perfect democracy anywhere. Military rule is not the solution.
“I’m surprised to read comments on social media, it appears that many young people are now in support of it. I understand the disappointment and the frustration with the political class. It’s still better we continue to struggle to make our democracy better until we get it right.”