Former All Progressives Congress, APC, Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank, has blamed African leaders for the Wednesday’s military coup in Guinea-Bissau which led to the arrest of the country’s president, Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
Timi condemned the military takeover in Guinea-Bissau, describing it as an unacceptable assault on democracy and a symptom of deepening governance failures across the continent.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, Frank said coups remained illegal and unjustifiable, but insisted African leaders and regional bodies must also accept blame for creating the conditions that fuel military interventions.
“I unequivocally condemn the coup in Guinea-Bissau. Military rule is never the answer,” said Frank, who recently became a Senior Advisor to the Global Friendship City Association (GFCA), USA.
He argued that the resurgence of coups is tied to “rigged elections, constitutional manipulation, suppression of opposition and leaders’ refusal to give up power,” warning that these democratic lapses embolden soldiers to intervene.
Frank criticised the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS for swiftly denouncing military takeovers while ignoring electoral fraud and constitutional abuses by incumbent governments.
“How do AU and ECOWAS condemn coups with moral authority when they look away as leaders rig elections, intimidate opponents and extend term limits illegally?”
“Democracy must be protected at the foundation, not only after it collapses,” he said.
Frank insisted that no military intervention is ever acceptable but urged Guinea-Bissau’s junta to begin an immediate transition and restore civilian rule within six months.
“The military authorities must ensure stability and organise a free, fair and transparent election within 180 days,” he said.
He called on the United States and other global partners to impose sanctions on African leaders who undermine democracy through election rigging or illegal tenure extensions.
Frank further urged the AU to return to the guiding principles of its founding figures—Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Haile Selassie, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Jomo Kenyatta—who envisioned a united and accountable continent.
“The AU was created to unite Africa with one passport, one currency and one future. But that dream is stalled because many leaders have lost direction,” he lamented.
“Political coups— rigged elections and constitutional manipulation— are even more dangerous than military coups,” he warned. “Until leaders respect the will of the people, instability will continue”, Frank added.
