Burkina Faso’s Constitutional Council in a statement Thursday stated that Coup leader Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba has been recognized as the president of Burkina Faso since January when President Roch Kabore was deposed.
Meeting on Feb. 8, the Constitutional Council said took note of the resignation of Roch Kabore from the post of president on Jan. 24, 2022. Kabore was detained and later resigned on Jan. 24 following the coup.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had earlier stated that the military had obtained Roch Kabore’s resignation under duress, and demanded his immediate release with other political detainees.
ECOWAS has asked the military authorities to rapidly propose a timetable for the restoration of constitutional order, after suspending Burkina Faso from its governing bodies following the coup.
The military junta has pledged to re-establish constitutional order within a “reasonable time”.
The UN Security Council on Wednesday expressed serious concern over Burkina Faso’s unconstitutional change of government last month and called for the release and protection of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore and other government officials.