Monrovia — The surge of forceful extra-legal power seizures has raised concerns about political instability in West Africa, with Niger being the latest country affected in the sub-Saharan region. Sierra Leone, one of Liberia's closest neighbors, stands at the brink of uncertainty, serving as a cautionary tale to Africa's oldest nation, Liberia, which is still grappling with the repercussions of military overthrow.
FrontPageAfrica has seen a diplomatic report filed by the Liberian Embassy in Sierra Leone informing the Liberian government of the alleged coup plot in that country involving several military officers.
This diplomatic report also stems from a press release issued by the Sierra Leonean Police disclosing that some senior military officers have been working to undermine the peace and tranquility of the state and have planned to unleash violence on the country.
According to the press release, preliminary investigation has shown that these military officers planned to use purported peaceful protests between August 7 to 10, as a guise to unleash violent attacks against state institutions and peaceful citizens.
These disturbing reports follow the controversial elections in Sierra Leone where the incumbent, President Julius Madaa Bio won the presidential election in the first round. This victory was greeted with local and international condemnations.
As it stands, four of the 15 member states of ECOWAS are now under military rule following a successful coup
The development in Sierra Leone comes on the heels of Niger's military takeover and its alignment with Russia, while distancing itself from France, its former colonial master and long-time ally. Liberia, considered a darling child of the United States, now finds itself surrounded by unstable neighbors, as Guinea is under military rule, and Sierra Leone faces internal upheaval. As Liberia prepares for its own crucial October 10 elections, the stakes are high.
Liberia's President, George Weah was one of the first ECOWAS head of state to express his utmost displeasure with Niger's military overthrow.
He lamented that the incident, which unfolded on Wednesday, July 26, coinciding with Liberia's 176th Independence anniversary, has raised concerns over democratic governance, rule of law, and peace across Africa.
"The Government of Liberia firmly condemns this brazen and unconstitutional action by the armed forces of Niger, as it undermines the democratic will of the peaceful people of Niger, who rightfully chose their leaders through a democratic process," the Liberian government stated.
Currently in the region, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are all under military rule.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian official has accused Moscow of being behind the coup in Niger, describing it as a typical tactic employed by Russia. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, asserted on a social media platform (previously known as Twitter) that Russia orchestrated the "military coup" in Niger to divert attention, take advantage of the situation, and escalate the conflict.
According to Podolyak, Russia follows a global strategy of fostering instability to undermine the global security order. He emphasized the need to remove the clan associated with Russian President Putin and steer Russia towards a political rebirth in order to ensure global rules and stability.
The Kremlin responded on Monday, expressing "serious concern" over the situation in Niger following the coup. While the majority of the world condemned the coup, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner mercenary group with extensive interests in Africa, welcomed it. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called for all parties in Niger to exercise restraint and swiftly restore legal order.
Notably, Russia's Wagner Group has not officially claimed responsibility for the coup, but Prigozhin praised the military takeover. Wagner's involvement in various African countries, much to the dismay of Western nations, has been significant, and recently, the group was reported to have arrived in the Central African Republic (CAR) ahead of a constitutional referendum.
Since 2014, Russian involvement in Africa has experienced significant growth. Some African leaders have shown receptivity to overtures from Russia due to mounting concerns about the rising dominance of China in the region and the retrenchment of the United States (US). Additionally, they've shown interest in diversifying their trading and security partners, which has drawn them towards engaging with Russia.
Russia has effectively cultivated these relationships by drawing upon the legacy of the Soviet Union's historic support for anti-colonial and liberation movements in Africa. Through this shared history, Russia has established a sense of solidarity and understanding with African nations.
Moreover, Russia focuses on strengthening diplomatic, military, and economic collaborations with African countries. This approach has allowed them to forge mutually beneficial partnerships that address the development, security, and trade interests of both parties involved.
With the development in Niger and what is unfolding in Sierra Leone, some political pundits believe with Liberia being a possible Africa Command Base for the United States, Russia could be taking a giant leap in strategically positioning itself in the region to gain desired advantage ahead of the October elections in Liberia.
Liberian Government in its statement following the Niger's saga expressed its unwavering commitment to opposing any form of unconstitutional means to ascend to power. The statement reiterated Liberia's zero-tolerance stance towards any actions that undermine democratic values and principles.
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But in the midst of this, a leading opposition leader, Alexander B. Cummings of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) has expressed lack of confidence in the constitution of the country's Election Commission.
Cummings says Liberia and its citizens will be at risk if President George Weah and his government preside over the fraudulent conduct of the ensuing elections in the country.
Mr. Cummings reminded President Weah and his government that the prolonged civil conflict in Liberia was triggered as a result of dissatisfaction over the results of elections, and as such, the Liberian Chief Executive should be cognizant of the risk that would be posed to the nation and its people if the ensuing elections are not free, fair and transparent.
He emphasized that presently, the CPP has issues with the current Board of Commissioners appointed by President Weah to head the National Elections Commission (NEC).
He declared lack of confidence in the ongoing electoral processes being carried out by the current Board of Commissioners of the NEC.
Mr. Cummings said the failure of President Weah to adhere to a mandate from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for opposition politicians to nominate few of the Commissioners now presents the NEC as a "partisan commission."
