President Jonathan- ECOWAS’ll no longer tolerate coups

President Goodluck Jonathan has warned coup plotters to have a rethink as the Economic Community of West African States will no longer treat them with kid gloves.

Apart from resisting what he called the outdated adventure, he said governments of the 15-member regional body would punish coup plotters severely.

Jonathan, who is the Chairman, ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, read the riot act in Abuja on Thursday during the inauguration of the third legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament.

While condemning the July 19 assassination attempt on the President of Guinea, Alpha Conde, and security problems in Niger, he advised the brains behind the incidents to have a rethink.

He said, “ECOWAS member states and their governments will not stop at anything to bring such unpatriotic elements to book.

“Forciful takeover of power through coup d’etats will no longer be tolerated and henceforth appropriate sanctions will be meted out to persons accused of complicity in such acts.

“ECOWAS is prepared to ensure strict compliance with the relevant provisions of the supplementary protocol on democracy and good governance as it concerns illegal overthrow of elected governments.

“The sub-region needs to move away from the point of political uncertainty, economic stagnation and social degradation, characterised by coups and other forms of forciful seizure of power.

“We must end the culture of political impunity and establish a society where transparency, accountability and egalitarianism subsist.”

Jonathan said that these and other attributes of good governance could only accrue to the region when leaders embraced democracy and respected the wishes of the people on all issues.

He urged members of the ECOWAS parliament to strive to understand the various programmes of ECOWAS and to work towards improving on them for the betterment of their people.

Jonathan said, “Such programmes as the free movement of persons, services and capital, right of residence and right of establishment, ECOWAS energy programme as well as ECOWAS Agriculture, he added, had the capacity to transform the sub-region and improve the living condition of its people.

“In all our 15-member states, there exists hunger, famine, disease, poor housing, poor infrastructure, infant mortality and several other issues. Common problems normally require common solutions.” -Punch news