Abati: I thought I could rattle Tinubu during media chat — but he knows what he’s doing

President Bola Tinubu has said a comprehensive consensus against the spread of “contagious autocracy” across Africa is the next step forward with respect to how the power in Gabon will play out.

The Nigerian leader noted that he is committed to working with other heads of state to defend democracy on the continent.

President Tinubu stated this in his first response to the early morning Wednesday coup in Gabon, according to a statement by the Presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale.

 Gabon military seized power in the early morning of Wednesday, announcing that they had cancelled the elections, dissolved all state institutions and closed the country’s borders.

In his statement, Mr Ngelale said President Tinubu is “watching closely with deep concern” for Gabon’s socio-political stability and “at the seeming autocratic contention apparently spreading across different regions of our beloved continent.”

The statement reads: “President Bola Tinubu is watching closely with deep concern for the country’s social-political stability and at the seeming autocratic contention apparently spreading across different regions of our beloved continent.

“The President as a man who has made significant, personal sacrifices in his own life in the course of advancing and defending democracy is of the unwavering belief that power belongs in the hands of Africa’s great people and not in the barrel of a loaded gun.

“The President affirms that the rule of law and a faithful recourse to the constitutional resolutions and instruments of electoral dispute resolution must not at any time be allowed to perish from our great continent.

“To this end, the President is working very closely and continues to communicate with other Heads of State in the African Union towards a comprehensive consensus on the next steps forward with respect to how the power in Gabon will play out and how the continent will respond to contagious autocracy we have seen spread across our continent.”

Mr Tinubu is leading ECOWAS’ efforts to reverse the coup in neighbouring Niger and has been reluctant to authorise the use of force as approved by the ECOWAS heads of government to restore constitutional order in Niger.(Vanguard)