ABIDJAN – Some members of the opposition camp in Burkina Faso on Friday described the removal of President Blaise Compaore as `non-negotiable’.
President of the Sankarist Movement, Union of Rebirth, Bénéwendé Sankara, said in a statement in Ouagadougou that there would be no going back on the move to dethrone Compaore.
“For 27 years, Compaoré fooled everybody, his time is over, for us in the opposition, his removal is non-negotiable,’’ he said in the statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Also, President of the Burkina Opposition Coalition, Zéphirin Diabré, has urged the citizenry to sustain the protest against the embattled president.
Burkina Faso’s official online media, Ouagadougou.com, reported Diabré as making the call at a news conference in Ouagadougou on Friday.
“Our call is on the people of Burkina Faso to maintain the pressure; we will occupy public places, we will remain awake until our people are free,’’ he was quoted as saying.
It would be recalled that the army on Thursday announced the seizure of power from Compaore following days of protest arising from planned amendment of the constitution.
The protesters fear that the planned amendment of Article 37 of the constitution would pave the way for Compaore to stay in office beyond 2015.
Meanwhile, local media in the country have reported Compaore as saying in a televised broadcast on Friday that he was ready for dialogue with a view to ensuring a peaceful transition.
It would be recalled that Compaore, who has already spent 27 years in office, was billed to vacate in 2015 after a presidential election.
Compaore came into power in a 1987 coup against then president, Thomas Sankara. (NAN)
