Icheoku calls on the world to take action and very fast too, and take out the defeated former President Gbagbo of Ivory Coast before he takes the whole country down with him into the abyss; an infamous Somali-like ungovernable entity. There was an election which he lost, but the bug of perpetuity in office which usually bites Africa leaders haven bitten him, he now refuses to let go of the political power lever in Abidjan. Icheoku says probably he is calculating that when the push comes to shove, Ivory Coast will be forced to settle for a unity government like in Zimbabwe and Kenya; with him as president while the person who rightfully won the election will become the prime minister. But when will enough be enough for these African leaders so called, who usually cling to power at all cost and without deference to the will of the people as expressed by their votes or the fate of their country which could be drastically altered as a consequence of their action. Stopping defiant Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast may be a good start and a message-sender to all other intending African leaders that their penchant for perpetuating themselves in office will no longer be tolerated.
The thing bad with setting a bad precedent is that no one knows when it will develop into a hydra-headed monstrosity, with a spread, reach and consequences which are both unimaginable and unintended. The world acquiesced Robert Mugabe to have his way when he refused to cede power following his defeat in a general election in Zimbabwe and as a compromise, a unity government was instituted with him as still the president while the man who rightfully won the election was relegated to the office of a prime minister. In Kenya, Mwai Kibaki upon losing his election looked west at the Robert Mugabe's example and concluded that if it could be possible in Zimbabwe why not in Kenya and decided to resist the will of the Kenyan people as expressed in their polls. He succeeded and today the constitution of Kenya went under surgical knife to enthrone a parliamentary form of unity government with Kibaki as president and the man who rightfully won the election, Odinga, was made the prime minister. This is the precedent Laurent Gbagbo is eying to replicate in Ivory Coast and Icheoku is afraid that the world might eventually indulge him; it being a lesser evil and the least costly arrangement in the circumstance, an all out atrocious war between both candidates supporters and tribesmen considered. It happened before in Harare, and once again in Nairobi; so the likelihood of it repeating itself in Abidjan is very high and this is exactly what the latest sit-tight wanna be African leader Gbagbo of Ivory Coast is banking on with his refusal to relinquish power.
The thing bad with setting a bad precedent is that no one knows when it will develop into a hydra-headed monstrosity, with a spread, reach and consequences which are both unimaginable and unintended. The world acquiesced Robert Mugabe to have his way when he refused to cede power following his defeat in a general election in Zimbabwe and as a compromise, a unity government was instituted with him as still the president while the man who rightfully won the election was relegated to the office of a prime minister. In Kenya, Mwai Kibaki upon losing his election looked west at the Robert Mugabe's example and concluded that if it could be possible in Zimbabwe why not in Kenya and decided to resist the will of the Kenyan people as expressed in their polls. He succeeded and today the constitution of Kenya went under surgical knife to enthrone a parliamentary form of unity government with Kibaki as president and the man who rightfully won the election, Odinga, was made the prime minister. This is the precedent Laurent Gbagbo is eying to replicate in Ivory Coast and Icheoku is afraid that the world might eventually indulge him; it being a lesser evil and the least costly arrangement in the circumstance, an all out atrocious war between both candidates supporters and tribesmen considered. It happened before in Harare, and once again in Nairobi; so the likelihood of it repeating itself in Abidjan is very high and this is exactly what the latest sit-tight wanna be African leader Gbagbo of Ivory Coast is banking on with his refusal to relinquish power.
Unfortunately Africans and their leaders have failed and/or refused to learn from past experiences that such obstinacy by a defeated president in refusing to concede defeat can only lead to one pitiful end - restiveness of the polity and possible unraveling of the country including devastating wars. The biggest threat to political development and democracy in Africa is the lack of smooth transfer of power from a losing incumbent to his successor; and until Africans learn to be magnanimous in defeat, regrettably, it will continue to be the same cycle of vicious cantankerous struggle for power. Icheoku says as Ivory Coast tethers on the edge of the cliff, precariously dangling over the precipice, with two candidates proclaiming themselves victorious as president of the country respectively, the time is now for the intervention of ECOWAS, African Union and the United Nations led by Ivory Coast's former colonial master France and supported fully by America, and forcibly remove this intending sit-tight, defeated former president of Ivory Coast. Laurent Gbagbo should be stopped by all and any means necessary now and taken into prison custody, exiled or even killed if that is what it will take to avert another potential upheaval in another African country with its attendant heavy cost both in materials and human lives. Icheoku believes that Ivory Coast will not become despondent with a dead Gbagbo as there will be so many qualified people to successfully take over the mantle of governance including the man who defeated him at the polls, Quattara. Enough should now be enough; it is about time to teach these Africa leaders how to take an electoral defeat with equanimity and that presidency of a country should not become a do or die affair for them or converted into their private and personal property right. As president, Gbagbo succeeded someone who previously occupied that office; so it defies every logic that he now does not want any person else to succeed him and this is the fork on the road leading to the latest inching towards an anarchical upheaval in Ivory Coast.
So with two pejorative presidents respectively sworn in for the same country, Icheoku asks, in whom shall the authority of commander in chief of the Ivoriean armed forces reside? Who shall appoint and receive members of the diplomatic corp and manage the affairs of the Ivoriean people? One civil war is more than enough for the country as no country usually survives two civil wars easily; and now is time for the world to come off its fence-seating and unanimously condemn and reject Gbadabo's current attempt to steal an election which he lost. There must be no room for negotiation with him for an interim government or a unity government arrangement to accommodate his ego; such concessions help to perpetuate Gbadabo-type misbehavior, as no leader or head of government in Africa wants or is willing to voluntarily yield power and its associated perks of office. Gbadabo must not be allowed to thumb his nose at the world without dire consequence; so the United Nations, America, France, Africa Union and ECOWAS must now give Gbadabo a fixed ultimatum to comply with the election result and quit office or be forcibly removed from office. Regrettably, the armed forces of Ivory Coast are not neutral in this imbroglio, otherwise they would have served Gandabo with a deservedly red card and order him to concede defeat immediately or be overthrown; taking cognizance of the 2002-2003 Ivoriean civil war which the country is yet to fully recover from.
It is good that United States President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have already said that opposition candidate Ouattara rightful won the election and that his victory must be acknowledged by the Gbadabo pretender-government and quit. These world leaders should take a step further and give Gbadabo a fixed time within which to do the right thing at the pain of unleashing their military best to smoke him out of the government house in Abidjan. That is the only language despots and despots-apprentice understand; and an example must be set of Gbadabo to send a clear message to other African wanna-be dictators that the world would not let them have their ways anymore. With the development in Abijan, Icheoku asks who knows what will become of the forth-coming general elections in Nigeria and whether President Goodluck Jonathan will peacefully concede power should he be defeated or even lose in the primaries to the northern consensus candidate Atiku Abubakar. Should Gbadabo be tolerated by the world in any form and allowed to stay in office, it will only serve as an impetus for his likes and so many elections are coming up in Africa. The Ivory Coast election is significantly important because an electoral commission appointed by the defeated President Gbadabo conducted an election and announced a result which the appointor-government was not satisfied with, hence their decision not to comply with the electorates decision. Icheoku asks, is there a possibility that Nigeria's INEC Jega could toil all in vain with President Jonathan insisting that a particular election outcome trumps any other, including that certified by the Jega INEC.
The die seem to have been cast for a shooting war in Ivory Coast as each self-sworn president is said to have their own army, support network and legal framework for governing. Defeated President Gbagbo allegedly has the support of the regular army, while Ouattara is supported by the New Forces rebels of northern Ivory Coast. Gbagbo is also supported by many of the country's most important institutions including the constitutional council and the state media, while Ouattara is backed by several foreign powers; admitted African Union and ECOWAS is yet to take a stand. It should also be noted that Gbadabo is a hold-over president since 2005 when his first five-year mandate expired. After several delays, the election finally went ahead in October but then headed to a runoff vote in November when the country's election commission announced that Ouattara had won the run-off. However, new results released later on national television by Gbagbo loyalist, who heads the constitutional council, said that the incumbent president Gbadabo had in fact been re-elected. Icheoku says, only African-Africans understands what is really going down in Abidjan with paid pipers singing the varying tunes of their paying masters. Finally, Laurent Gbadabo must quit power and respect the wish of the Ivoriean people who with their ballot decided that Quattara should be their next president.
The die seem to have been cast for a shooting war in Ivory Coast as each self-sworn president is said to have their own army, support network and legal framework for governing. Defeated President Gbagbo allegedly has the support of the regular army, while Ouattara is supported by the New Forces rebels of northern Ivory Coast. Gbagbo is also supported by many of the country's most important institutions including the constitutional council and the state media, while Ouattara is backed by several foreign powers; admitted African Union and ECOWAS is yet to take a stand. It should also be noted that Gbadabo is a hold-over president since 2005 when his first five-year mandate expired. After several delays, the election finally went ahead in October but then headed to a runoff vote in November when the country's election commission announced that Ouattara had won the run-off. However, new results released later on national television by Gbagbo loyalist, who heads the constitutional council, said that the incumbent president Gbadabo had in fact been re-elected. Icheoku says, only African-Africans understands what is really going down in Abidjan with paid pipers singing the varying tunes of their paying masters. Finally, Laurent Gbadabo must quit power and respect the wish of the Ivoriean people who with their ballot decided that Quattara should be their next president.
Ivorien crisis worries region
ReplyDeleteBy Bassey Udo and Ayo Okulaja
December 6, 2010 08:22AM
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The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States will tomorrow hold an extraordinary summit in Abuja, Nigeria, with the sole objective of taking action on the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire.
The decision follows the swearing in of President Laurent Gbagbo after the Ivorien election commission had announced that Alassane Ouattara won the November 28 poll, with 54.1 percent. The country’s constitutional court rejected the announcement and announced Mr. Gbagbo the winner. He was sworn in on Saturday, only for another agency to swear in Mr Ouattara hours later in a hotel.
In the prevailing circumstances, the ECOWAS commission said it was disappointed, “at the anomalies that have attended the leadership transition in that Member State, especially the reported inauguration of the incumbent President”.
It also strongly condemned, “any attempt to usurp the popular will of the people of Côte d’Ivoire” and appealed “to all stakeholders to accept the results declared by the electoral commission”.
ECOWAS chairman President Goodluck Jonathan, had over the weekend appealed to the presidential candidates to “urge their supporters to be calm and refrain from actions that will roll back the advances made in the democratic process.” He also stated that, “ECOWAS will fully cooperate with the African Union and the United Nations to ensure that there is peace in Cote D Ivoire”.
The Centre for Democracy and Development, a non-governmental organisation, also called on the leaders of West-Africa to be decisive in acting on the crisis.
The group’s executive director, Jibrin Ibrahim who likened the crisis to a coup d’état, demanded that regional leaders suspend Cote d’Ivoire from ECOWAS until there is a return to a constitutional order that affirms the victory of Mr Ouattara as the duly elected president.
The Centre also urged the leaders to take steps to immediately remove Mr Gbagbo from power and install Mr Ouattara as the duly elected president of the country.
Global bodies such as the United Nations, the European Union, Africa Union and ECOWAS have all threatened sanctions unless Mr Ouattara is allowed to take office.
Mr Ouattara, in his inauguration, called the election “historic” and immediately appointed Guillaume Soro (who heads the rebels’ New Forces in the north) as his prime minister. Mr Soro had tendered his resignation in Mr Gbagbo’s administration just hours earlier.
Mbeki’s intervention
Former South African president Thambo Mbeki arrived in Abidjan on Sunday to mediate on the crisis which threatens to destroy the prevailing peace after a decade long civil war. Mr Mbeki was expected to hold talks with Mr Gbagbo and meet Mr Ouattara at the United Nations guarded Abidjan hotel, which he is using as his headquarters.
After meeting Mr Gbagbo at the presidential residence in Abidjan, Mr Mbeki said, “we want to hear everybody’s point of view in this matter before making any recommendations about what to do.” Fears are high that rebel forces in the north which support Mr Ouattara will take up arms if the talks fail. Pockets of protests broke out over the weekend in several towns, including Abidjan, and in Bouake in the north. At least 15 people have been killed. One of the rebel commanders Cherif Ousmane has warned that his followers will “not rest for long without doing something” about Mr Gbagbo if he continues to hold onto power.
SEVERAL international leaders have condemned President Laurent Gbagbo’s declaration of victory and urged him to step down amid rising tension in Cote d’Ivoire.
ReplyDeleteThey warned that the country must resolve its political crisis soon or face being frozen out of aid deals, international lenders said, on Monday.
French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, on Monday, said he had asked Gbagbo to step down.
Sarkozy told reporters during a visit to India’s capital, New Delhi, that he asked Gbagbo by phone, to hand over power to Ouattara.
“I said the following: ‘It’s up to him to choose the role that he wants to play in history,’” Sarkozy said. “He must now leave power to the president who was elected.”
The World Bank and African Development Bank said they would review their ties with the country following the “breakdown in governance.”
The European Union has warned the crisis threatens regional stability and has hinted that economic sanctions could be imposed.
A disputed election has left the country with two presidents, who have each named separate cabinets.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)’s correspondent in Abidjan says there are even rumours that two sets of ambassadors will be appointed, adding even more confusion to the situation.
Western nations have thrown their support behind Alassane Ouattara, who was standing as an opposition candidate in the November 28 poll.
Initial results from election officials gave him a clear victory over incumbent Laurent Gbagbo.
But the result was overturned by the Constitutional Council, which awarded the victory to Mr Gbagbo.
The BBC correspondent said both sides were firming up their positions, leaving little room for compromise.
In a joint statement, the development banks, which invest millions in projects designed to alleviate poverty, urged the politicians to break the impasse.
“We wish to continue working with the people of Ivory Coast in the fight against poverty but it is difficult to do so effectively in an environment of prolonged uncertainty and tension,” they said.
“We will continue to closely monitor developments and reassess the usefulness and effectiveness of our programmes given the breakdown in governance.”
Former South African President Thabo Mbeki is mediating in the crisis, which has sparked concern across the world.
The political crisis “is obviously very serious”, Mbeki told reporters after talks with Gbagbo and Ouattara on Sunday.
“Among other things, it’s important not to have violence, not to return to war and so on, to find a peaceful solution.”
On Monday, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said the crisis risked stability and peace in the country and the region.
A spokeswoman for the EU’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, said sanctions could be imposed if no solution was found.
International organisations and African leaders, including Botswana’s President Ian Khama, have called on Mr Gbagbo to step down.
Mr Khama described the situation as a “real tragedy” and urged all African leaders to condemn what is happening.
“One would have hoped that by now, on the African continent, we would have gone past those days [of] coups and ridiculous situations like we have now in Ivory Coast,” he told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme.
Protesters burned tires in the streets of Ivory Coast's largest city on Monday amid the political crisis.
Plumes of smoke rose above several Abidjan neighbourhoods inhabited by supporters of Ouattara.
Political unrest in the country escalated, on Monday, after incumbent Gbagbo named his prime minister and challenger
Ouattara announced his cabinet.
Gbagbo, who is backed by the country’s Constitutional Commission, later issued a rival presidential decree naming Gilbert Marie N’gbo Ake as his new prime minister.
There are renewed fears of a civil war as international mediators look to settle the standoff.