Senator Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker and well-known social critic, has expressed his view that the prevalence of poisoned elections is a significant factor contributing to the erosion of democracy across the African continent.
Sani’s statement comes in the wake of a recent coup in the Central African country of Gabon. Military officials in Gabon announced a takeover of power following President Ali Bongo’s re-election for a third term. The military officers declared their seizure of power on national television, annulling the results of the election held on Saturday, which had been rejected by the opposition as “fraudulent.”
Taking to his social media platform, Senator Shehu Sani expressed his perspective on the situation. He highlighted that people in Gabon were reportedly supporting the coup in Libreville by participating in street demonstrations. Sani pointed out that the Bongo family’s dominance had a detrimental effect on democracy in Gabon.
In his post, Sani wrote, “A BBC correspondent just reported people in Gabon are ‘genuinely’ trooping out to the streets in support of the Coup in Libreville. The Bongo family dominated and destroyed Democracy. Democracy dies in Africa when elections are poisoned.”
Senator Shehu Sani’s assertion underscores his belief that elections tainted by fraudulent practices or manipulation have a detrimental impact on the democratic processes in African nations. The recent events in Gabon serve as a reminder of the complex challenges faced by African countries striving to uphold democratic principles amidst political uncertainties and power struggles.
