Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the coup attempt in the Republic of Benin, describing it as a grave assault on constitutional order and a dangerous signal for democracy in West Africa.
In a statement he personally signed, Atiku said the actions of the coup plotters were “utterly unacceptable,” noting that the era of military intervention in governance should be long over in Africa and the sub-region.
“This reckless trend of assault on constitutional order is utterly unacceptable, not only because of its dangerous proximity, but because the era of military interference in governance is long over in Africa and our sub-region,” he said.
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He expressed concern that recent coups appear to be clustering around election periods in the affected countries. Atiku pointed out that Benin’s presidential election is scheduled for April 2026, while the attempted military takeover in Guinea-Bissau occurred on the eve of the expected announcement of its election results.
He warned that the pattern raises fears that “some political operators may be using the military to cancel democratic processes.”
“This trend is dangerous for the health of democracy in the West African sub-region and must be stopped before it becomes the rule and not the exception,” he said.
Atiku added that soldiers “have no business anywhere outside their barracks,” and urged that decisive steps be taken to suppress any growing appetite for undermining democratic governance.
