Togolese in Nigeria protest Faure’s fourth term bid

Togolese nationals in Nigeria protested against President Faure Gnassingbe’s bid to run for a fourth term in office.

The protest held at the Embassies of France and Togo in Lagos on Friday.

The protest started from the Embassy of France in Lagos, through the residence of the All Progressives Congress’ national leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, and ended at the Togo Embassy’s Liaison office.

Gnassingbe, who was re-elected this year for a fourth term, has led the country of eight million people since taking over in 2005 after the death of his father Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled with an iron fist for 38 years.

Faure, came to power in 2005 on the platform of Rassemblement du Peuple Togolais (RPT), his father’s party. Midway through his two terms in office, Faure dissolved the party to pave the way for a new one, Union pour la République (UNIR), in 2010.

A constitutional amendment in 2002 allows for two terms of 10 years, the president returned to power on the ticket of the new party for a third term.

Despite a massive protest that trailed the election, Faure had his way. According to official results, the incumbent Faure Gnassingbe won a fourth term with nearly 71 percent of the vote while Kodjo, 65, won just under 20 percent, an outcome that Kodjo says was rigged.

But Togolese in the diaspora have called on global leaders to intervene in the affairs of the West African country.

Teko Kuevi, a Togolese human rights activist resident in Lagos told our correspondent that the entire citizens have had enough of one family ruling a nation for over four decades.

“Faure should step aside and let other well-meaning leaders set up a transition body to organise a credible and transparent election in Togo. Our protest at the France and Togo Embassies today was to alert the world that there is chaos in Togo.

“Faure government is hunting down political leaders, oppositions, and human rights activities in the country. We need global presidents like Emmanuel Macron, Donald Trump, and Muhammad Buhari, to come to our aid by ensuring that Faure respects our constitution,” he said.

The activist disclosed that a letter of the protest had been sent to the office of the President of Nigeria, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), who during the last ECOWAS meeting urged other African leaders to resist the temptation of staying in power beyond constitutional provisions.

“Yesterday (Thursday), Shebu Garba, responded to a post by a Togolese leader in Nigeria, re-echoing Buhari’s opposition to dictatorship in the subregion. All the COVID-19 guidelines are being observed.

“This has nothing to do with politics and politicians. It is a national call,” Garba said.