Only voters can remove elected leaders – President Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan Saturday in Lagos restated the opposition of Nigeria and the African Union to the unconstitutional removal of any democratically-elected government.

Speaking during an audience with Ambassador Raouf Saad, Special Envoy of the Interim President of Egypt, Mr. Adly Mansour at the State House, Marina, President Jonathan declared that the Federal Government maintains its stand that only the electorate in any country have the constitutional right to remove an elected leader.

Welcoming the assurance by Ambassador Saad that the Egyptian military were not currently involved in the day-to-day administration of the country, President Jonathan advised the interim government to do all within it powers to return Egypt to democratic rule as quickly as possible.

The President told the Special Envoy that Egypt was very important to Africa and that Nigeria and the African Union will, therefore, give the country all necessary support to ensure that it returns to the path of constitutionalism and political stability as quickly as possible.

He condemned recent terrorist activities on Mount Sinai and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s full commitment to working with the rest of the world to combat terrorism, saying that no person or group has the right to intimidate others with acts of terror.

Ambassador Saad was in Lagos to brief President Jonathan on the current situation in Egypt against the background of the opposition of Nigeria and the African Union to the unconstitutional change of government in Egypt and the country’s suspension from the continental body.

The Egyptian envoy praised Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa and sought President Jonathan’s advice on how Egypt could best overcome its current difficulties.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
July 20, 2013

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