Atiku condemns coup attempt in Benin Republic, says military has no place in governance

Former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a strong condemnation of the attempted coup in the Benin Republic, describing it as an alarming continuation of unconstitutional power grabs spreading across West Africa.

In a statement on Wednesday, Atiku said he denounced the development “without reservation and in the strongest possible terms,” warning that the resurgence of military interference poses a serious threat to democratic stability in the region.

He noted that the attempted takeover in Benin is particularly troubling given its timing ahead of the country’s presidential election scheduled for April 2026. According to him, a similar pattern was seen in Guinea-Bissau, where an alleged military intervention occurred on the eve of expected election results.

Atiku expressed concern that these incidents may indicate attempts by certain political actors to manipulate the electoral process using the military.

“This trend is dangerous for the health of democracy in the West African sub-region and must be stopped before it becomes the rule and not the exception,” he warned.

He stressed that the era of soldiers dictating political outcomes in Africa “is long over,” insisting that the military has no role outside its constitutional duties.

“Soldiers have no business anywhere outside their barracks, and every decisive measure must be taken to crush any emerging appetite for subverting democracy,” he added.

Atiku called on regional institutions and democratic governments to act swiftly to prevent further erosion of constitutional governance in West Africa.