President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday expressed concern about the coup in the Republic of Gabon on the West Coast of Central Africa.

Ajuri Ngelale, the president’s media aide, disclosed this while briefing the State House Correspondent in Abuja.

‘’President Bola Tinubu is watching closely with deep concern for the country’s social-political stability and at the seeming autocratic contention apparently spreading across different regions of our beloved continent,” said Mr Ngalae.

This comes hours after military officers in Gabon announced that they had taken power and put the president, Ali Bongo, under house arrest, as the country becomes the latest in Africa to suffer an attempted coup, only weeks after mutinous troops seized power in Niger.

He said Mr Tinubu would consult with other heads of state and government in the African Union on the Gabon crisis to determine the way forward for the natural resource-rich country.

‘’The president, as a man who has made significant sacrifices in his life in the course of advancing and defending democracy, is of the belief that power belongs in the hands of Africa’s great people and not in the barrel of a loaded gun,’’ he said.

Mr Ngelale said the president affirmed that the rule of law and recourse to the constitutional resolutions and instruments of electoral dispute needed to be used in matters of democratic challenges.

‘’To this end, the president is working very closely and continues to communicate with other heads of state in the African Union.

‘’This is towards a comprehensive consensus on the next steps forward with respect to how the power in Gabon will play out and how the continent will respond to contagious autocracy spreading across the continent,” he said.

The military officers had announced the cancellation of recent election results and the dissolution of “all the institutions of the republic”.

The army officers will meet later on Wednesday to decide who will lead the transition authority.

The Commonwealth has also expressed fear about the military takeover in the country, with Secretary-General Patricia Scotland saying the situation is “deeply concerning”.

“The Commonwealth Charter is clear that member states must uphold the rule of law and the principles of democracy at all times,” Mr Scotland said.

Gabon is rich in natural resources such as timber, manganese and oil, and it’s the fifth-largest oil-producing nation in Africa, which has helped drive its strong growth.

The country’s oil sector now accounts for 50 per cent of its GDP and 80 per cent of its exports.

(NAN)