Niger Coup, ECOWAS tensions: Senate, Sultan group reject military action, caution Tinubu

•Ask President, ECOWAS to tread with care

Rising from a closed-door session that lasted about two hours to discuss the letter sent by Tinubu on the decisions taken by the regional body, the Senate, yesterday, condemned the coup d’etat in Niger but asked ECOWAS and its leaders to deploy political and diplomatic options to resolve the political impasse.

Tinubu had, on Friday, written the Senate intimating it about the coup in the neighbouring country and proposed military action and other sanctions against the juntas by the ECOWAS.

The Senate and the JNI made their positions known as the seven-day ultimatum given by West African leaders for the military in Niger to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum drew to a close, even as analysts said both sides have crucial decisions to make.

Last Sunday evening, the regional bloc, headed by Tinubu, said the junta had a week to restore constitutional order or face the possible use of force.

Sanctions on the coup leaders have already been imposed and electricity supplies from Nigeria have been cut, along with borders, meaning goods are no longer arriving and the land-locked country has lost access to ports.

But as the political, diplomatic and military tensions rise, what could happen as the deadline passes?
One option, according to analysts, is for the ECOWAS leaders to extend the deadline.

“This has the danger of being seen as a climbdown, but the heads of state could save face by saying that diplomatic efforts have made progress and they want to give them more time,” one analyst said.

Reading the resolutions of the Senate after the meeting, yesterday, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said: “The Senate recognizes that President Tinubu via his correspondence has not asked for the approval of the parliament of this Senate to go to war as erroneously suggested in some quarters.

“Rather, Mr. President has expressed a wish to respectfully solicit the support of the National Assembly in the successful implementation of the resolutions of the ECOWAS as outlined in the said communication.

“The Senate calls on President Tinubu to further encourage other leaders of ECOWAS to strengthen political and diplomatic options and other means to resolve the political impasse in Niger.

“Finally, the Senate calls on the ECOWAS parliament to rise to the occasion by equally condemning this coup and also positing solutions to resolving this impasse as soon as possible.”

Similarly, the apex Muslim organisation in Nigeria, in a statement by its Secretary General, Professor Khalid Aliyu, said the JNI, representing the collective voice of the Muslim Ummah, expressed its deep concern and seizure of power in Niger.

The organisation noted the relevance of upholding democratic principles and the rule of law to fostering stability, development and steady progress within nations.

“The JNI, therefore, commends the efforts so far undertaken by the Nigerian government, particularly, the initiation of a dialogue process, aimed at resolving the crisis in Niger Republic. While this attempt may not have yielded the desired results, it demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to peaceful resolutions.

JNI however, raised a word of caution against the pursuit of military action as a means to restore democracy.

“The interlaced landscape of the northern states of Nigeria and the Republic of Niger necessitates a more circumspect and thoughtful action and/or approach. With several Nigerian states sharing borders with Niger, military intervention could have unintended consequences that may impact the peace and stability of both nations.

“JNI, therefore, calls upon all stakeholders to prioritise more diplomatic and political conciliation and collective efforts to the crisis. We believe strongly that dialogue, cooperation, and negotiation are the most effective means to establish lasting peace and stability in the region. It is equally essential that the international community, including the ECOWAS, continues to engage in peaceful diplomatic discussions aimed at finding a resolution.”

Recall that on July 27, 2023, soldiers in Niger removed President Bazoum from power, after armed troops earlier blockaded the presidential palace in Niamey, the country’s capital.

The soldiers shut the country’s borders, suspended all institutions of government, announced a national curfew and warned against any foreign intervention.

However, their warnings were ignored particularly by the ECOWAS leaders who met in Abuja, Nigeria, to deliberate on the political situation in the country.

After the meeting, the regional leaders, last Sunday, issued a 7 day ultimatum to the military juntas to release and reinstate Bazoum.

“In the event the authorities’ demands are not met within one week, we will take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger,” Omar Alieu Touray, the ECOWAS Commission president said.