Peter Obi accuses ECOWAS of double standards for condemning coup is Guinea-Bissau
Peter Obi accuses ECOWAS of double standards for condemning coup is Guinea-Bissau
Abuja, Nov. 30, 2025 (NAN) The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has accused ECOWAS of double standards over its disposition to the disruption of the electoral process in Guinea-Bissau through a military coup.
Obi, in his verified X handle on Sunday, said while ECOWAS was quick to condemn the Guinea-Bissau military-arranged glitch, it had remained silent on the technology glitch as witnessed in other countries.
In the piece entitled: ‘Reflecting on the ‘Coup Glitches in Guinea-Bissau’, the former Anambra governor said that glitches of any type should be condemned, as they undermined democracy.
“On Thursday, November 27th, I arrived in Abuja early in the morning after attending a productive meeting at the European Parliament.
“I listened carefully to the press briefing of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, as the former President, who was in Guinea-Bissau as an election monitor, noted that the so-called coup appeared suspicious.
“Suspicious especially because it was the president himself who announced the coup and shared details with the international community.
“What makes the situation even more striking is that the election was reportedly peaceful, with the only remaining step being the formal announcement of the results.
“ECOWAS was quick to sanction Guinea-Bissau, but what does ECOWAS do when democracy is subverted, not by soldiers, but by technology?” he queried.
Obi also questioned the sub-regional body on whether there would be any punishment for any country that announced ‘glitches’ at critical moments during an election.
“Do we only condemn coups that are visible with guns and ignore those carried out through a designed technological failure?
“It is essential to recognise that whether technical or political, these challenges can undermine democracy, hinder progress and obstruct the rights of African citizens to freely elect their leaders,” he said.
According to him, true democracy flourishes in environments of transparency and accountability, where the voice of the people is paramount and not interrupted by unforeseen glitches or political maneuverings.
“By addressing these issues constructively, we can work towards a more stable and democratic West Africa. Together, we can ensure that the will of the people prevails and that our elections reflect the true desires of our citizens.
“The Guinea-Bissau scenarios represent two faces of the same crisis: one where ballots are discarded by force and another where ballots are obstructed by convenient technical issues.
“In both cases, the people suffer, democracy is undermined, and the region sinks deeper into instability. The outcome remains the same: the citizens are denied their mandate,” the former governor said.
He noted that true democracy could only thrive in a situation where transparency and accountability prevailed and the voice of the people respected, not interrupted by glitches or coups. (NAN)
News
Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl
Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl
The police in Lagos on Friday, charged two men before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defiling an 11- year-old girl.
The defendants are: Prince Tomnyie, 40, a businessman, who resides at Agege, and Micheal Adenuga, 24, a furniture maker, who resides at Atere Street in Lekki.
They are standing trial on charges of defilement, and had each pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, ASP Adegoke Ademigbuji told the court that they committed the offence sometimes in December 2024, and September 2025, at Langbasa Ajah and Igbara Lekki, Lagos .
The prosecutor alleged that the victim’s father, had taken his daughter for medical check and it was discovered that the minor had been defiled.
The prosecution alleged that the victim had told her father that his friend, Tomnyie, defiled her sometimes ago.
Ademigbuji alleged that the victim also mentioned the second defendant’s name who lives in their neigbourhood.
The offence contravenes the provisons of section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr L. A Owolabi, granted the defendants bail in the sum of of N600,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until March 5, for mention. (NAN)
News
Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free
Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free
The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has insisted that bail is free, and called on the public to report any officer asking for money to release a suspect on bail.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
Adeh spoke in reaction to public outcry that some police officers were demanding money to release suspects on bail in the territory.
She said the report of the erring officers would serve as a deterrent to others, adding that it was fraudulent to demand for money to release a suspect on bail.
Adeh blamed the yielding to such fraudulent demand on ignorance on the part of the victims who refused to stand on their rights.
“A similar case was reported where an officer demanded money to release a suspect on bail and when the matter was reported, we requested for evidence from the victim.
“The evidence was provided because the money was transferred to the officer’s account and actions are being taken on the issue.
“So, I encourage the public to take advantage of the FCT Police Complaint Response Unit (CRU) lines on 08107314192 to report such misconduct with evidence,” she said.
Adeh urged the public to always insist on their rights and refuse any form of payment to release a suspect on bail.(NAN)
News
Former President sentenced to five years in prison by Court
Former President sentenced to five years in prison by Court
South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol was on Friday sentenced to five years in prison for obstruction of justice.
The Seoul Central District Court found that the 65-year-old conservative, with the help of the presidential security service, had tried to prevent his own arrest and deleted multiple documents related to the investigation against him.
Yoon shocked the nation by imposing martial law on December 3, 2024, amid a budget dispute with the opposition, plunging the country into a political crisis.
He justified the drastic measure as necessary to protect South Korea’s democratic order and accused the left-leaning opposition of being infiltrated by communists with ties to China and North Korea, though he provided no evidence for these claims.
In a separate trial, prosecutors have sought the death penalty for Yoon on charges of incitement, with a verdict expected on February 19.
While the death penalty remains legally in force in South Korea, it has not been carried out for nearly 30 years.
Yoon’s actions previously alarmed international investors and led to withheld investments, damaging the reputation of South Korea as a political and economic model for the region.
Since last summer, South Korea has been led by President Lee Jae Myung, a left-leaning centrist and long-time political rival of Yoon. (dpa/NAN)
-
6 years ago
Our situation in Kano terrible – Gov Ganduje cries out
-
News11 months agoFG pledges commitment to enhance Police officers Welfare, implement Tinubu’s 8-point agenda for NPF
-
News11 months agoBREAKING; NSCDC gets approval to commence 2025 recruitment exercise
-
News9 months agoAlleged cocaine deal: Court issues orders in suspended DCP Abba Kyari’s case
-
News12 months agoDPO under investigation for allegedly taking teenage girl to his home while in police custody
-
News12 months agoJUST IN; Commissioner of Police bows out of Service
-
News9 months agoJUST IN; Police Inspector dies watching Arsenal match
-
News12 months agoBREAKING; NLC declare nationwide protest