Sanction the hypocrisy of ECOWAS leaders not the military junta – Edudzi Tamakloe

A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe has said if there is anyone to be sanctioned in the ongoing impasse in Guinea, it should be the hypocrisy of the African leaders who form the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS). 

That according to him was because the leaders failed to called the embattled leader, Alpha Condé to order when he changed the country’s constitution to enable him occupy the presidency for the third term against the wishes of the people.

 “First of all, I think this level of hypocrisy exhibited by ECOWAS leaders should rather be sanction. It is their hypocrisy that must be sanction,” he said.

Mr Edudzie Tamakloe made the comment on TV3 NewDay on Friday, September 17, monitored by GhanaPlus.com.

He was speaking about the outcome of the two-day ECOWAS meeting held in Accra to discuss the military takeover in Guinea and the way forward for the country as a member of the community.

Speaking about the meeting he said, ECOWAS lacks the moral right to sanction the coup leaders since they failed to call their colleague to order adding, changing the constitution was a coup in itself.

He rubbished comment that the country was a sovereign state and as such ECOWAS couldn’t have interfered in its internal affairs and quiz if that be the case why was ECOWAS sanctioning the military junta.

 ” …These people have the temerity to say that they are sanctioning him, the hypocrisy, look at this graphic paper, the person standing by Akufo Addo is Alassane Ouattara , he change the constitution of Ivory Coast to allow him to do a third term and he had the courage to even come and stand there and say we should sanction the military leaders in Guinea. When your own colleague decides to change the constitution that is when these leaders should say, Prof Alpha Conde’ your decision to change the constitution of Guinea does not accord with the spirit of ECOWAS so we are isolating you,” he said.

“The fact that they are sovereign, there is also the question of inter-dependent so if there is group of people who should be sanctioned is the hypocrisy of these leaders”.

Akufo-Addo host ECOWAS leaders over Guinea Coup

The President of Ghana and Chairman of the Economic Community of West Africa States, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday, September 16 hosted leaders of the sub-region in an Extraordinary Summit to deliberate on the situation of Guinea following the overthrow of the President, Professor Alpha Condé early this month.

It was also to deliberate on political transition in Mali following a two coup which saw the ousting of the country’s ,President Ibrahim Boubacar and  interim President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane in August 18, 2020 and May 24, 2021 respectively.

The two-day summit concluded Guinea must hold an election in within six month to elect a president.

They also among other things  imposed  travel ban on the military junta and their families and frozen their financial asset.

Alpha Condé overthrown

Alpha Condé, an 83 year -old and a third term President of Guinea was on Sunday, September,5 ousted by  the country’s military forces to end rampant corruption, human rights abuses and mismanagement experienced under his administration.

Source: GhanaPlus.com