Togo refuses landing for Nigerian team
February 11, 2005 Edition 1
Togo has refused landing rights to a plane carrying a Nigerian team sent to help resolve a constitutional crisis, a move that may trigger sanctions against the West African state, a Nigerian spokeswoman says.
The Nigerian delegation was heading to Togo as part of a five-nation team from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) to communicate its rejection of the installation of Faure Gnassingbe as president in Togo on Saturday.
"The authorities in Togo are frustrating efforts by Ecowas to resolve the crisis in the country," said Remi Oyo, spokeswoman for Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday.
"The plane carrying the advance team of President Obasanjo was refused landing in Lome," she added, calling last night's action "unfriendly and hostile".
She said Nigeria had recalled its ambassador to Togo and that Obasanjo - who is chairman of the African Union (AU) - would now not be joining a delegation of Ecowas heads of state expected in Togo's capital Lome today.
Gnassingbe was named president of Togo by the army on Saturday hours after his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, died.
At an emergency meeting on Wednesday, West African leaders called the abrupt transfer of power a coup and urged the nation to respect the constitution as it was before it was hastily changed, threatening not to recognise its new government.
They also threatened sanctions if Togo rejected the regional bloc's demands.
"The latest action by Togo authorities might therefore compel the commencement of sanctions," Oyo said.
The appointment of Gnassingbe flouted a constitutional rule stating that the head of the national assembly should take over in the event of the president's death, pending the organisation of presidential elections in 60 days.
In a bid to hush foreign criticism, Togo's parliament changed the law to retroactively legitimise Gnassingbe's nomination, clearing the way for him to rule until 2008.
African presidents, former colonial power France, the European Union and the UN have all urged Togo to respect the constitution and let the Togolese people choose their new leader through the ballot box.
The Francophonie, an organisation grouping French-speaking states, suspended Togo on Wednesday for its "repeated violations" of the constitution's provisions. The AU has also threatened Togo with sanctions. - Reuters
