AU condemns Togo's 'army move'

2005-02-06 14:49

Lagos - The African Union does not accept an "unconstitutional transfer of power" in the west African state of Togo, the body's Nigerian chairman said on Sunday, following the Togolese army's decision to appoint the son of late leader Gnassingbe Eyadema to succeed him.

Spokesperson Remi Oyo said that Olusegun Obasanjo, who heads the AU and is also president of Nigeria, "urged the Togolese people to insist on respect for the nation's constitution in the provision of interim leadership for Togo, that will lead to the democratic election of a president of Togo in accordance with the constitution".

"The AU subscribes to democratic principles only and President Obasanjo has acted in line with this principle," she said, speaking in a in a live interview on state-run Radio Nigeria.

"Under Obasanjo's leadership of the AU, African nations act in unison and we will not accept any unconstitutional transfer of power in Togo," she added.

Obasanjo, other African leaders and institutions have slammed the army's decision to install Eyadema's son at the helm of the west African country.

Shortly after the announcement of Eyadema's death on Saturday, the army announced that his son Faure Eyadema was taking over, a move contrary to the constitution and denounced as a "coup" by the AU.

The 15-member west African regional grouping Ecowas, of which Togo is a member, said on Sunday in a statement it "firmly condemns this unconstitutional seizure of power" by the country's armed forces.

Eyadema died on Saturday at the age of 69 as he was being airlifted out of the country for urgent medical treatment.

Africa's longest-serving leader, Eyadema had ruled Togo with an iron grip since coming to power in a coup in January 1967 and was and one of the few to have managed to hang on to power despite pressures for democratic change.

- AFP