The African Union (AU) Saturday rejected the latest decision by Faure Gnasingbe to remain in power in Togo, reiterating its stand for a return to constitutional legality. AU Commission chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare appealed once again to the "present regime" in Togo to take the measures expected of it by the AU and the West African regional grouping, ECOWAS. "Any other step would only complicate the situation in Togo," Konare said. Togolese authorities and the country's armed forces changed the Togolese constitution to empower Faure Gnasingbe to succeed his dead father Gnasingbe Eyadema as president. Konare said in the statement that the AU had been following developments in Togo, and that the latest declaration by Faure Gnasingbe in particular "confirms his decision" to remain in power. He stated that this was in violation of the Togolese constitution and the pertinent AU and ECOWAS decisions. --More 2230 Local Time 1930 GMT
