CAN A GOVERNMENT THAT CAME BY WAY OF COUP D’ÉTAT BE LEGITIMATE?

Abstract

Law represents the rules and regulations by which everything in a State or the Society must be done and legitimacy is conformity with the Law. When an act is done in accordance with the law the action is said to be legitimate. Compliance with the rules of law will confer legitimacy on our actions otherwise one is bound to face criticisms and disagreements. The present situation with the change of government in the republic of Niger has given ECOWAS and other nations around the world the opportunity to criticize and rise against the coup leaders with the demand that the action should reversed and restore the legitimate government back to power. No one is looking at ECOWAS, AU, UNO and other antagonist States as interfering in the internal affairs of the Republic of Niger. The issue of the legality, legitimacy or otherwise vis-a-vis the elected and the revolutionary regimes in Niger Republic is the focus of this paper. The analysis of these issues will lead us a logical conclusion on the way forward.