The Consul General of the United States in Nigeria, Will Stevens, has attributed the sit-tight syndrome among African leaders as one of the factors responsible for coup d’etat cases in the continent.
Stevens stated this while during the launch of the “Recycling Waste to Wealth Challenge,” competition for secondary school students at Abeokuta Window on America, within the precinct of the Youth Development Centre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta.
He applauded former president Olusegun Obasanjo and his successors in office for stepping aside after the completion of their terms in office.
The US Consul General said the process of peaceful transition had been a huge thing the continent should be proud of, while saying that some presidents in Africa had stayed in office for 20,30 and 40 years which would automatically lead to political instability.
He, therefore, called on African leaders to embrace the tenets of democracy and ensure peaceful transition of power.
Stevens said, “Obasanjo served two terms and left power, he set the precedent in Nigeria of you serve and then you step aside for your successor.
“Nigeria has enjoyed 25 years of presidential succession. President Buhari just did the same thing, he served his two terms and then he stepped aside, that is a big deal in democracy, peaceful transitions of power, that is a huge thing to be proud of, It does not happen very often.
“There are Presidents of neighbouring countries that have been there for a very, very long time, 20, 30, 40 years, this leads to democratic instability, it leads to coups.
“Nigeria is the fourth largest democracy in the world, you just had a successful presidential transition, successful elections, this is something you should not take for granted. The idea that people can come into power, they can serve and then leave is really cool.”
While speaking on some other challenges being confronted in Africa, such as food insecurity, climatic change among others, Stevens maintained that only
democratic stability could help the continent in resolving its problems.
The Recycling Waste to Wealth Challenge is US government-supported enterprise competition for students in vocational and technical colleges in Ogun State.
Stevens while speaking on how Africa can overcome its challenges, said leaders of the continent must embrace the tenets of democratic and ensure peaceful transition of power.
. TheWitness
