Guinean former prime minister and a leading opposition figure, Cellou Dalein Diallo, on Sunday called on the military junta leaders to create a transitional government and announce a timeline for elections as soon as possible, reported Africa News.
Last week, the military junta seized power and ousted long-time President Alpha Conde.
In an interview with Associated Press, Diallo accused the ousted president of betraying his oath and creating the crisis that led to his demise. Notably, Conde sought a third term in office by saying the constitutional term limits did not apply to him.
Diallo, who contested against Conde three times in successive presidential elections, said there were no other options left but a coup.
The Guinean opposition leader described his long-time political foe as a dictator. He stressed that the junta now must prove they took power to give it back to the people. He also called on international institutions not to sanction Guinea, describing the recent coup as a welcome development.
Diallo said the military junta that ousted Conde doesn’t deserve to be sanctioned because it put an end to a situation of lawlessness.
“I want it to set up as large a transitional government as possible and to organize inclusive elections as soon as possible, within a reasonable period of time, free and transparent for a peaceful return to constitutional order,” he said.
Following last week’s coup, international pressure has mounted on the junta leaders to establish a body that would help the country return to democratic rule and to release President Conde from their custody.
The African Union and the West African regional economic bloc (ECOWAS) have both suspended Guinea in an effort to ramp up the pressure.
The 83-year-old Conde had come under increasing fire for perceived authoritarianism, with dozens of opposition activists arrested after last year’s violently controversial election.
