Insecurity and lack of good governance main drivers of coups
ECOWAS, AU suspend Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso
Elections have become a mainstay across most of Africa and with them comes democratically elected Presidents.
The removal of a democratically elected president in almost all Constitutions include principally impeachment - usually by Parliament - or the natural consequence of death.
Completing one's tenure - usually two terms - is another route to leaving office as is the case with resignation, which is rare in Africa.
In the last three years alone, three elected West African presidents have been ousted as a result of coup d'etats.
GhanaWeb looks back at the three instances that triggered these osuters.
Goita removes IBK
West Africa's coup wave or 'contagion' as the United Nations Secretary-General chose to call it started in April 2020 in Mali where a relatively unknown special force member emerged leader of a coup that removed President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita from office in 2020.
That officer was Assimi Goita, who became deputy leader of a transitional government.
Nine months later, he ousted his boss, Bah Ndaw and assumed the reigns as President and leader of the transitional government.
Keita after his ouster was held under house arrest despite calls by ECOWAS for his unconditional release. He was only allowed to travel to France for medical treatment at a point.
He died in January and has since been buried.
Doumbouya removes former boss Conde
In September 2021, Guinea-Conakry experienced an overthrow in which a member of the presidential guard, Mamady Doumbouya, announced the ouster of his boss Alpha Conde.
He subsequently took over as leader of the transitional government.
Conde remains under house arrest but has been allowed to leave the country to the United Arab Emirates for medical attention.
Kabore ousted by Daiba-led junta
The case of Burkina Faso, saw the ouster of Christian Roch Marc Kabore as President in late January 2022.
He was forced to resign by a junta led by Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.
The junta suspended the Constitution after the ouster but did a U-turn by reinstating it a week later.
Kabore is also under house arrest.
Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso have been suspended by ECOWAS with the African Union following suit. Sanctions have since been imposed on the Guinea and Mali juntas.
West Africa's coup wave
West African political bloc ECOWAS has had a busy last two years because of Constitutional overthrows and foiled attempts.
Barely two months into 2022, the bloc has had to deal with a successful coup and to condemn, as usual, another that was luckily quelled.
2022's coups took place in Burkina Faso in the last week of January 2022 and the failed coup in Guinea-Bissau in early February.
Ousted ECOWAS presidents (L-R) Keita, Kabore and Conde