The Federal Government on Thursday demanded the immediate restoration of democracy in Egypt following the overthrow of the country’s president by the military on Wednesday.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Olugbenga Ashiru, made the demand in a three-paragraph signed statement made available to the News agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He called on the Egyptian forces to allow democracy to thrive in the North African country.
The federal government also called on the Egyptian people to exercise utmost restraint in the peaceful pursuit of their legitimate grievances.
“The Federal Government has received with grave concern the overthrow of the armed forces of the democratically-elected President of Egypt, Mr Mohammed Morsi, and the suspension of country’s constitution.
“This is truncation of the aspirations of the Egyptian people to freely express themselves through the ballot box.
“The unfortunate development is a gross violation of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, which prohibits unconstitutional change of government.
“It constitutes a serious setback of the remarkable progress which Africa has made in fostering culture of democratic governance in the continent,’’ the statement reads.