President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the reported attempted coup against the constituted authorities in Ghana.
The president made his feelings known through a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Wednesday.
Buhari described the incident as a clear case of ‘corruption fighting back.
He said: “Nigeria and Ghana are leading partners in ECOWAS, and Transparency International, and Afrobarometer’s Africa Index 2019 attested that both countries have recorded exceptional advances in fighting corruption.
”When you take on powerful and corrupt vested interests successfully, sometimes they seek to push back. As the saying goes, ‘if you fight corruption, corruption will fight back’.
“The only acceptable form of governance in our region in this 21st century is through democratic elections. It is the only way to install – and the only way to change – an administration. The days of coups and government without votes are over.”
According to the Nigerian leader, Africans hold the nation of Ghana in the highest esteem as the first post-colonial country to gain independence, and the first African country to hold multi-party elections by universal suffrage.
”Ghana is the first, true African democracy.
“We in Nigeria hold out – as always – our hands in support and friendship to our brothers and sisters in Ghana,” he added.
The Ghanaian government on Monday said police foiled a suspected coup last Friday when they arrested three people believed to have been amassing makeshift bombs, weapons and computer equipment in a plot targeting the presidency.
The Information ministry said the men were taken into custody after 15 months of surveillance during which they tried to obtain weapons from military personnel.
The ministry added that they also secured funding for the purpose of taking over the reins of government.
Its statement said one of the suspects, acting on behalf of the alleged ringleader, had contacted a number of serving military personnel about the plot.
It was not clear how advanced any threat was, or whether the suspects were known to authorities, although one was identified as a Ghanaian weapons manufacturer.
The ministry could not be reached for further comment.
“The joint operation was to neutralise an elaborate plot targeted at the presidency, and with the ultimate aim of destabilising the country,” the statement said.
It said the suspects were part of a group pretending to work on education, health and homelessness to radicalise young people.
The ministry published a list of the weapons retrieved during the operation, including 22 improvised explosive devices, six pistols, a long knife, three smoke grenades, seven mobile phones and three laptops.
Unrest is rare in Ghana, a country that prides itself on its ability to resolve political and social tensions peacefully, in contrast to some of its West African neighbours.
It has seen five constitutional transfers of power since its last coup in 1981.
The years of peace – along with its rich natural resources – have made it a darling for international investors.
