At least ten thousand people demonstrated in the Togolese capital Lome on Saturday, protesting against the new leader Faure Gnassingbe, news reports said. The protestors carried banners which said the assumption of power by Gnassingbe upon his father's death two weeks ago was a coup, reported the British Broadcasting Corporation. Gnassingbe Eyadema, who died on February 5, was the longest serving-leader in Africa. When he died, the Togolese army named his son as successor, ignoring the constitution which said the parliamentary leader should take over and new elections should be held within 60 days. After intense international pressure, and the African Union as well as the regional grouping ECOWAS threatening sanctions, the new Togolese leadership has appeared willing to return to the original constitution, which had been changed the day after the new president was installed. In a television address on Friday, Faure Gnassingbe said presidential elections would be held within two months.
