Coup no longer acceptable —Buhari

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday, vehemently condemned the abortive coup attempt in Turkey by a group of rebel army officers and men, which resulted in the reported death of more than 200 people.

Reacting to the tragic events in Ankara, Istanbul and other centres, through a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in Abuja, he said he was “deeply saddened by reports of a violent attempt to dismantle constitutional authority and disrupt the democratically elected government of Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey.”

He added: “The removal of a democratic government by force is no longer acceptable. Violence can never solve any problem, but only complicates them and sets back the progress of democratic societies.”

The president also noted that Erdogan was one of Nigeria’s close international partners and sincere supporters in its current war against terrorism, adding that all should resist  the “destabilisation of democratic countries through coups d’état  in the 21st century.”

According to the president, “democracy provides peaceful options of changing governments through the ballot box. The ballot box doesn’t require violence to remove any government perceived to have lost its popularity and public support. Despite its limitations, democracy is still better and more durable than a violent change of government.”

The president praised the courage and immediate response of ordinary citizens, who in face of guns and tanks, defied the rebel soldiers and forced them to abandon their mad quest for power.

Buhari called on the president of Turkey to pursue reconciliation and offered Nigeria’s support to the government and people of Turkey in their hour of trial.