West Africans must oppose all sorts of military takeovers within the authority of the ECOWAS - Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged West Africans to oppose all sorts of military takeovers within the authority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The Ghanaian president thinks that Africans should not support what he calls the unconstitutional method of changing administrations in the sub-region.

President Akufo-Addo made the call at Liberia’s 147th Independence Day celebrations.

He stated that insecurity in West Africa must disappear for development to take place.

“It is incumbent that we all stand together in our generation to defeat the menace of coups and guarantee the peace and stability which are essential to the rapid economic development of our areas which is the surest way to banish poverty in our time and the same vain, we must reiterate our commitment to democratic governance in the ECOWAS space and reject all unconstitutional changes of government.”

The call by the President comes barely 24 hours after presidential guards in Niger seized President Mohamed Bazoum and blockaded his residence, as well as key ministries in a coup attempt.

Meanwhile, the African Union (AU) has condemned the incident.

The AU described the action by the soldiers as “unacceptable”.