General Abdourahamane Tchiani
Niger Junta announces 3yr transition plan to civilian rule, decries ECOWAS sanctions
Niger’s new military ruler, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, Saturday, announced a transition of power which take a three-year time frame, amid clamour by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) members’ demand for immediate reinstatement of ousted civilian president, Mohammed Bazoum.
Bazoum was removed from office July 26, in a coup by military officers in the country, who cited economic hardship and corruption as reasons for the overthrow of government.
Disclosing the new timeframe for return to civilian rule, Saturday, during a nationwide address to the Nigerien people, the Coup leader and head of the ruling National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), General Tchiani also warned regional countries against any military intervention.
It would be recalled that, last Friday, ECOWAS commissioner for peace and security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, said 11 of its 15 member states had agreed to commit troops to military intervention, saying they were “ready to go.”
“Neither the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland nor the people of Niger want war and remain open to dialogue. But let us be clear: if an attack were to be undertaken against us, it will not be the walk in the park some people seem to think.”
However, Tchiani’s warning came after his first meeting with an ECOWAS delegation.
Promising the putschists ambition was not to confiscate power, General Tchiani announced a period of national dialogue to lay the foundations of ‘a new constitutional life.’
“Within this framework, the stakeholders who will be invited (to a consultation to lay the foundations of the transition, ed), will set about formulating concrete proposals within 30 days, leading to:
1: define the fundamental principles that should govern our transition.
2: define the priority of the transition, which should last no longer than a few months,” Tchiani said.
In his 12-minute speech, Tchiani denounced what he called the ‘illegal’ and ‘inhuman’ sanctions levied by ECOWAS against Niger since the military seized power.
Transition plans presented Saturday night by the general go against ECOWAS demands to ‘restore president Bazoum to his functions’.
West African leaders have not excluded a resort to force to achieve this goal.
The 11 member states that agreed to intervene militarily did not include the bloc’s other countries under military rule following coups; Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde.
Mali and Burkina Faso have warned they would consider any intervention in Niger an act of war.
