Festus Keyamo, former Minister of Labour and Employment, has warned Nigerians against comparing the flaws during the just concluded 2023 general election in the country to the recent coup in the Republic of Niger.
According to him, many Nigerians who go on social media to get clicks and likes will go to jail should a coup happen in the country.
Raye24reporters reports that on Friday that Niger’s military General Abdourahmane Tchiani declared himself as the new head of a transitional government in the West African country.
The development is coming two days after President Mohamed Bazoum’s presidential guard restricted access to the presidential residence and offices.
The military has since detained the democratically elected President Bazoum despite a series of calls for calm by international bodies.
Reacting to the development, Keyamo, in a tweet on Saturday morning, said a coup d’etat could not be a solution to disputed elections in Africa.
The former Minister insists that it is not acceptable to support a coup under any guise. Keyamo urged everyone, whether as members of the opposition or the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, to outrightly reject and condemn the coup in the Niger Republic.
He stressed that those who think they have scored a point by comparing the coup to their so-called narrative of a flawed election in Nigeria should know that they are cutting their noses to spite their faces.
Keyamo observed that while there are constitutional means to seek redress in a disputed election, there is no means to seek redress for a coup.
The former Minister’s tweet reads: “We all have a duty, whether as members of the opposition or the ruling party, to outrightly reject and condemn the coup in the Niger Republic.
“Those who think they have scored a point by comparing the coup to their so-called narrative of a flawed election in Nigeria should know that they are cutting their noses to spite their faces. A coup does not overthrow only the President alone; a coup overthrows all levels of constitutional governments in a country, including the governments formed by the Opposition parties themselves at different levels of government after winning elections at those levels.
“In fact, those who take a fancy in appealing to the mob on social media to get ‘clicks and likes’ will be in jail if a coup happens and will not even have such opportunity again to speak their minds.
“The earlier we realise that a coup d’etat is not a solution to disputed elections in Africa, the better for us. Almost all elections in Africa have always been disputed anyway. Whilst there are constitutional means to seek redress in a disputed election, there is no means to seek redress for a coup because even the Constitution itself would be suspended when a coup happens.”
