Mama Kandeh, leader of the opposition party, Gambia Democratic Party, has hit out at the Ecowas leadership who opt to use military force in Niger to stop the double standard.

His reaction comes as Ecowas threatened military intervention in Niger if the soldiers failed to reinstate the deposed president Muhammed Bazzoum. 

Kandeh said: “Isn’t it time for Ecowas heads of states to look into the reasons why there are a lot of coups in West Africa. What are the root causes of the coup d’états? Let them put their house in order first before they set up an anti coup d’état unit.”

“What is more coup d’état than your national constitution giving you a two term limit of 5 years two terms after serving ten years, you want to change the constitution for another term? 

“Is that not a coup d’état? Because you feel you have the power to do that, the soldiers gave the power to coup d’état that is also another coup d’état and they are living with them there in the name of civilians putting on mufti clothes calling themselves a democrat when they loot all the resources of their countries, mislead people, imprisoned them, burnt their businesses yet you call that democracy or a civilian rule and a legally elected government,” he added.

“The leaders must stop deceiving their electorates first, they must not be corrupt, they must stop looting our resources. Also they must understand that they are not a better citizen than anybody, they are given a responsibility, a role to play to help develop the country and make sure there is peace and tranquility and respect the constitution of the country but this is not happening,” he said.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba