ETHIOPIA/TOGO: TOGO'S LEADER FAURE GNASSINGBE ANNOUNCES HE IS STEPPING DOWN AS PRESIDENT
Record ID:
647693
ETHIOPIA/TOGO: TOGO'S LEADER FAURE GNASSINGBE ANNOUNCES HE IS STEPPING DOWN AS PRESIDENT
- Title: ETHIOPIA/TOGO: TOGO'S LEADER FAURE GNASSINGBE ANNOUNCES HE IS STEPPING DOWN AS PRESIDENT
- Date: 12th February 2005
- Summary: (W1) LOME, TOGO (FEBRUARY 25) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV OF AUDIENCE CLAPPING 0.02 2. LV FAURE GNASSINGBE WAVING TO CROWD 0.07 3. SLV WOMEN OF PARTY (RPT ) APPLAUD AND DANCE 0.09 4. CU GNASSINGBE CAMPAIGN POSTER 0.12 5. MCU GNASSINGBE ADDRESSES CROWD 0.22 6. SV OF AUDIENCE LISTENING 0.26 (W1) ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (FEBRUARY 25, 2005)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. SLV EXTERIOR OF AFRICA UNION HEADQUARTERS 0.29 8. MCU (English): COMMISSIONER OF PEACE AND SECURITY OF THE AFRICAN UNION AMBASSADOR SAID DJINNIT SAYING: "The peace and security council have confirmed the suspension of the government of Togo, the current government of Togo, authorities of Togo from all activities within the African Union until the return of order in that country. The Council endorsed the sanctions taken by ECOWAS against the de facto authorities in Togo and requested all member states to scrupulously implement those sanctions." 1.17 (W1) LOME, TOGO (FEBRUARY 12, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. LV CROWD CHANTING AND DEMONSTRATING AGAINST GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER 1.22 10. LV RIOT POLICE ON STREET WATCHING DEMONSTRATORS 1.27 11. CU SIGN BEING HELD UP WHICH READS: "VANQUISH OR LET US DIE BUT IN DIGNITY', PULLBACK TO CROWD OF DEMONSTRATORS 1.31 12. SLV ANOTHER VIEW OF DEMONSTRATORS, SOME WAVING COLOURFUL BANNERS 1.35 13. LV OF POLICE FIRING TEAR-GAS IN STREET OF LOME (AUDIO OF TEAR GAS CANNISTERS BEING FIRED) 1.56 14. SLV TYRE BURNING IN STREET 1.59 (W1) BE DISTRICT, LOME, TOGO (FEBRUARY 19, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 15. CU PROTESTER WITH BANNER READING: "France, you will never impose us any president." 2.02 16. SV PROTESTERS RUNNING HOLDING TOGO FLAG AND BANNERS 2.06 17. SV PROTESTERS CHANTING 2.10 18. SLV PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH POLICE CAR AND POLICEMEN IN FOREGROUND 2.15 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 27th February 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA AND LOME TOGO
- City:
- Country: Togo Ethiopia
- Reuters ID: LVADJ9576U2JKOMDM3OMCJMRTH1J
- Story Text: Togo's leader Faure Gnassingbe announces he is
stepping down as president after being named the ruling
party's candidate in forthcoming elections.
Togo's leader Faure Gnassingbe said on Friday
(February 25) he was stepping down as president and would
contest elections in the West African country, bowing to
massive international pressure to quit.
Earlier on Friday, the African Union (AU) decided to
suspend the Togolese government from all AU activities.
The AU's Peace and Security Council Commissioner Said
Djinnit said "the Council endorsed the sanctions taken by
ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)against
the de facto authorities in Togo and requested all member
states to scrupulously implement those sanctions."
Those sanctions included a travel ban for its leaders,
an arms embargo and a suspension from ECOWAS activities.
Abass Bonfoh, a member of the ruling party, will be
acting president until elections after he was chosen as the
new head of the national assembly in a late night vote.
African leaders, European officials and the United States had all
u
rged Gnassingbe to quit following his
appointment as president by Togo's powerful army hours
after his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, died on Feb. 5,
ending his 38-year rule.
"In order to guarantee the transparency of this
election ... and to give the same chance to all the
candidates, I have decided to renounce the post of
president of the national assembly, who is acting president
of the republic," Gnassingbe said in a speech broadcast on
state media.
"It's now up to the national assembly to elect a new
head who will be interim president of the republic," he
said.
Bonfoh was elected by 57 of the 62 deputies present.
Four voted against and there was one abstention. Nineteen
were absent.
In a bid to stem international fury, Gnassingbe had
pledged to hold presidential elections in 60 days but
indicated he would stay on until then, drawing
international anger.
"I sincerely hope that the West African community and
the international community remains at our side to
guarantee the organisation of free, transparent and honest
elections," he said in the speech.
Under Togo's constitution, the head of the national
assembly became acting president on the death of Eyadema.
After the army named Gnassingbe president, Togo's
national assembly elected Gnassingbe as its head making him
the legal interim president.
It also removed a clause in the constitution requiring
elections in 60 days, allowing Gnassingbe to rule
unchallenged until 2008.
Earlier on Friday, Gnassingbe was named the ruling
party's candidate in forthcoming presidential elections.
"The RPT (Rally of Togolese People) is a party that
excels in adversity. The RPT is a party that excels in
difficult times and it is an unbeatable party," he told
delegates after being elected as the new party chief.
The AU decision came after Gnassingbe held talks on
Thursday with the leaders of Gabon and Libya.
After meeting Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Gnassingbe
said he could end the crisis that has isolated Togo,
brought thousands of opposition protesters onto the streets
and raised fears of further instability in a
conflict-ridden region.
Togo's main opposition parties have demanded the
reinstatement of the previous head of the national
assembly, Fambare Ouattara Natchaba, who should have taken
over on Eyadema's death.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None