|
Togolese Leaders Quits, ECOWAS Lifts Sanctions
 |
|
Ruling party member Bonfoh will lead Togo until the April elections. (Reuters)
|
LOME,
February 26, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Bowing to
international pressures, Togo’s army-installed President Faure
Gnassingbe decided to step down, a decision that promoted Saturday,
February 26, the lifting of African sanctions slapped against his
country.
“The
decision ... allows Togo to find its place again at the heart of our
community and to participate, as in the past through its valuable
contributions, to the integration of our sub-region,” said a
statement by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),
reported Reuters.
Assured
of his place as the ruling party's candidate in the April elections,
39-year-old Gnassingbe said in a televised national address Friday,
February 25, he would quit the presidency to ensure the
“transparency” of the upcoming polls.
The
15-member economic bloc urged the African Union, the United Nations
and the European Union “to provide the necessary assistance in
organizing these elections.”
On
February 19, the Abuja-based ECOWAS imposed sanctions against Togo,
suspended the country's membership and slapped an arms embargo on
Gnassingbe's regime.
Faure,
favored son of Togo strongman Gnassingbe Eyadema, was installed by the
army to take over following the death of his father on February 5.
The
parliament appointed him as its speaker, then extended the interim
president's term from 60 days until 2008, when his father’s term in
office was to expire.
The
father-to-son succession triggered universal condemnation, with the
African Union the first to publicly decry it as a military coup
d'etat.
The
European Union, the United States and Germany lent strength to demands
that Gnassingbe step down and restore constitutional order.
Main
Candidate
The
ruling Rally for the Togolese People party had lined up
enthusiastically behind Gnassingbe as presidential candidate, reported
Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“Today
the RPT doubly honored me by electing me its president and nominating
me as its candidate for president of the republic for the election
which will take place in coming weeks,” Gnassingbe said in his
address.
“In
order to guarantee the transparency and equitability of this election,
and to give the same chances to all the candidates, I have decided to
step down from the position of parliamentary speaker, which assured
the interim office of the president of the republic.”
The
81-member legislature met in the early hours Saturday and elected
Abass Bonfoh as successor to Gnassingbe.
The
sole candidate, Bonfoh, a member of the ruling party, was elected
speaker of the national assembly by 57 votes to four with one
abstention.
Under
the constitution, the speaker would serve as the interim successor to
the president, ahead of elections.
Thousands
of foes and supporters of Gnassingbe took to the streets of the
capital in separate demonstrations Saturday, AFP correspondents
reported, while both took place calmly under the watchful but discreet
eye of the security forces.
Both
demonstrations had been planned before Gnassinge made his move and
organizers had agreed that the rival marches would meet at no point.
|
