A Security expert in Aflao, Emmanuel Akpalu has called on the Togolese government and the security services to remain alert to prevent any serious instability that might generate from the opposition’s pursued parochial agenda.
He was giving an intelligence assessment with regards to Togo political instability, when he averred that Togolese opposition is pursuing an agenda that could plunge the nation into chaos and that the government’s continued participation on the political reforms was not in the best interest of concerned people.
“I think that Togo national security must be alert. Togolese authority must show political responsibility and resign for failing to uphold the fundamental freedoms,” he said.
According to Emmanuel Akpalu the opposition politician called the country political situations desperate, hence the call for political reforms is the best way out of the crisis but anything short of that will see social revolt with unforeseeable consequence.
The Togolese authority, he said, must set up a red alert at the country’s border to try to ensure that possible outbreak of social revolt did not occur or dangerous militant entering the country.
He recalled that a Ghanaian soldier was a week ago, arrested when entering the country with weapons.
He believes that the Togolese authority who are still holding the suspect must interrogate him well to be able to ascertain the reasons why he was entering the country with arms.
Speaking to a resident in Lome, he suggested the President Faure Gnassingbe needed to move towards the mainstream and moderate in order to push through a very successful political reform.
“I want to think that the Togolese opposition was being disingenuous and that they did not really believe in the country’s political reforms proposed by ECOWAS. I want to think that because the alternatives are just too alarming for Togolese citizens whatever their beliefs.”
He also said Togo opposition accuse the Togo government of tinkering with the constitutions so that President Faure Gnassingbe can remain in power until 2030.
Meanwhile the government denied this, insisting that it will introduce two term elections in 2020.
“So while we are aware that efforts and discussion are taking place to avoid the worst Case scenario, one cannot ignore that miscalculations may occur leading to unforeseen escalation and we are all very much concerned.”
He also said, roadblocks erected by the opposition protesters gave occasionally, rise to criminal practices such as kidnapping harassment, robbery and collections of illegal tolls.
-PROSPER AGBENYEGA