City: Bamako, Mali
Dem no confirm when e go end o, but one thing wey dey certain be say, Mali military leader General Assimi Goita don collect five-year presidential mandate wey fit renew anytime wey e like – no election needed! Na wetin happen for the National Transitional Council (NTC) when dem approve this bill wey dey allow am lead until at least 2030. Talk am say na ‘guy must shine for the light’ kind matter.
Sabi padi Malick Diaw, wey be president of the NTC, yan sey, “This na major step forward in the rebuilding of Mali.” Na so dem dey commonly call for total support for military while others dey cry sey dis na new level of military power show down for obodo Mali. Make we no forget sey Goita no be first person wey don hold power for two coups as e don dey since 2020-2021, even as na dem promise to come back to civilian rule fast-fast.
As dem pass the bill on Thursday, all 131 members wey dey present for di council quickly agree. E be like sey dem no wan hear anything about the other side matter. But critics no dey sleep o. Dem dey shout sey dis new plan fit mean sey military go dey flex in power as e please, wey dem dey call ‘indefinite military rule’ – I follow hear say dem even remove all references to political parties for di draft, e be like sey dem wan just dey do as dem like.
In May, military leaders ban political parties sharply, all these don dey make citizens dey blend with fear as di space wey people fit talk don dey smaller. When Goita swear as di transitional president for June 2021, e don go back on im promise to hand over power as dem initially plan to do.
Dem say dis new move dey come at a time when violence no dey allow dem rest for inside Mali, wey since 2012 na wahala o, terrorist wey follow al-Qaeda and IS dey cause problems all over di place, dem dey make life hard for di citizens. Even as di military plus Russian allies dey track dem down, dem still dey face accusations of human rights abuse against civilians. Na wah!
While dem dey talk sey Goita fit now line up im own election run for presidential position, we fit still dey carry eye to see how all these wahala go end. Di last person wey Goita follow carry this coup na Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, after big anti-government protest, still no solution don come. Na so e be for di political ground.
Many Nigerians dey wonder sey wetin fit happen after 2030, abi na when dem go gidigba, come see wetin happen or e go just dey like saying, ‘my house, my rules’? Only time go tell, as Mali people dey carry dem chin up and dey fish for better vibe.
