Retired Nigerian diplomat, Ambassador Joe Keshi, has emphasised the growing global importance of the rule of law and accountability for political leaders, citing recent developments in France and Madagascar as cautionary examples for Africa.
Speaking on Arise News on Sunday, Keshi pointed to the imprisonment of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the stripping of former Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina of his Malagasy citizenship as reminders that political power does not place leaders above the law.
“If this is what the law has said in the case of Madagascar, I believe the former President violated the law even before he became President.
“But the interesting question is — did the current regime just realise he had French nationality, or did they know all along and choose to ignore it until now?, ” he asked.
Rajoelina, who was recently ousted in a coup, had his Malagasy citizenship revoked after it emerged he voluntarily acquired French nationality in 2014.
Keshi described the move as both legally justified and politically motivated, noting that it raises concerns about selective enforcement of justice.
Turning to Sarkozy’s imprisonment, Keshi stressed the broader lesson for leaders worldwide: no one is immune from the consequences of violating the law.
“If a former French President violated the law of the land, then he’s paying the price for it.
“This sends a clear message to Presidents around the world, particularly in Africa, that one day the law will catch up with you. You can do whatever you like as President, but you’ll pay the price for violating the law, ” he said.
Keshi added that while Sarkozy maintains his innocence and has appealed the court’s ruling, he must serve his sentence pending the appeal.
On the political tensions in Cameroon over disputed election results, Keshi warned that instability could escalate if leaders fail to respect the will of the people.
“Don’t be surprised if at the end of the day Cameroon experiences a coup d’état.
“The conditions for coups to happen are often created by politicians themselves. When leaders manipulate results or silence dissent, they create instability, ” he said.
He noted that the ruling party’s attempt to offer the opposition leader a prime ministerial position before the official results were declared suggests that the party already knew it had lost.
Keshi criticized Cameroon’s political class for prioritizing the retention of power over serving the nation.
“I sincerely hope they resolve their problems and we don’t experience a coup in a neighbouring country, because that would also be dangerous for Nigeria, given the rumours of coups here,” he said.
Keshi also paid tribute to the late Kenyan opposition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who passed away recently in India at age 80.
Reflecting on Odinga’s lifelong fight for justice and democracy, Keshi said, “Since I was in school, I’ve loved that name, Odinga Odinga first because of his father, who also died struggling to be President of Kenya.
”Just like his father, Raila kept fighting for the people. He was a Pan-Africanist who believed in justice and democracy.”
He added that Odinga’s state funeral was a fitting recognition of his contributions, noting, “they valued him, they valued the fight, and they knew he was fighting for the right cause.
”The best Kenya could do at his death was to honour him with a fantastic state burial.”
