De Menezes Restored to Power in Sao Tome
By
Jul 25, 2003, 00:56

African leaders led by President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday 24 July secured a peaceful return to power for deposed Sao Tome and Principe President, Mr Fradique de Menezes.

Restive military officers led by Major Fernando Periera on 16 July 2003 deposed Mr. de Menezes who was attending the sixth Sullivan Summit holding in Abuja.

As part of the negotiated deal brokered by Nigerian and African diplomats, a special session of parliament was convened for the purpose of granting immunity from trial to the conspirators.

De Menezes walked into his office Wednesday July 24 with fulsome praise for President Obasanjo and the Nigerian people for what he described as “dogged diplomatic efforts” to return him to power.

President de Menezes signed an agreement with the coup plotters before they relinquished power. Among other things, this agreement extracted commitments from Mr. De Menezes to

· Create a new government of national unity
· Commit to greater transparency in oil dealings; he also agreed to place the oil industry under the supervision of the national assembly, which is to pass a law on oil resources, and
· Respect financial rules as well as establish a ‘national forum to listen to political parties and civil society’.

President Obasanjo said that henceforth, African leaders would meet future attempts to seize power by military forces with more resoluteness.

“It is a victory for Africa, that we had a bad situation in our hands and we were able with concerted efforts to deal with it. Let’s hope that this type of thing would not repeat itself but if it does … the example of how it was handled here will stand us in good stead”, he said.

The Nigerian leader promptly condemned the military takeover when it was announced on 16 July and demanded immediate reinstatement of Mr. de Menezes. His efforts led to an agreement by the coup leaders to negotiate with an international team of mediators drawn from Portuguese-speaking countries, notably Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Portugal and Brazil.

President Obasanjo’s diplomatic efforts also led to the Monday 21 July release of the six ministers detained in the wake of the coup, as well as the reopening of the country’s international airport.

Forceful takeover of state power runs contrary to the spirit and letter of the new African Union charter adopted in Algiers, as well as the much heralded New Partnership for African Development, NEPAD, which President Obasanjo has robustly promoted.

Related Stories:

African Union addresses Sao Tome crisis

Nigeria, Libya move against Sao Tome Coup

President Obasanjo condemns coup in Sao Tome


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