Niger: Senate urges Tinubu to seek political solution
… Says no plans for war with Niger Republic
The Senate on Saturday advised President Bola Tinubu and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to engage further to strengthen political and diplomatic options available to them against the use of any military action to resolve the crisis in Niger republic.
The Senate reached the position after considering Tinubu’s request for support to implement ECOWAS resolutions to restore democracy in the landlocked country.
The meeting lasted more than two hours behind closed doors.
When the Senate reopened its doors, it condemned in very strong terms the coup in neighbouring Niger Republic and resolved to engage more with President Bola Tinubu on the political situation in Niger.
Tinubu had on Friday written to the Senate intimating it about the resolutions reached by ECOWAS to restore democracy in the landlocked country.
But the Senate said President Tinubu, by virtue of his correspondence had not asked for approval to go to war as being erroneously suggested in some quarters , rather expressed a wish to respectfully solicit the support of the National Assembly in the successful implementation of the ECOWAS resolutions as outlined in the said communication.
Part of that resolution included closure of all land borders with Niger, banning all flight from and to the country, cutting Niger off electricity and stopping goods in transit to the country from Lagos and other eastern seaport.
All of these were as ECOWAS called on member states to prepare for possible military action to force the hands of the military junta to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
The Senate noted that Tinubu had not sought approval to go to war with Niger but merely solicited for support for the implementation of the resolutions of ECOWAS on the political situation in Niger Republic.
The upper chamber then advised Tinubu as Chairman of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to engage further with other leaders in the commission to strengthen political option for the situation.
The National Assembly leadership, through the senate pledges total support to the ECOWAS leadership under President Tinubu in resolving the political situation in Niger Republic and returning the country to democratic governance in the nearest future.
The Senate says it has not received any communication from President Bola to engage in war with Niger Republic over the coup in that neighbouring country.
Akpabio made the confirmation on Saturday after an executive session of the Senate ahead of the last lap of the screening of Ministers designate.
Senator Akpabio explained that President Tinubu who is also the ECOWAS Chairman, only requested the National Assembly to give its support to the ECOWAS resolutions.
Senate thereafter urged the ECOWAS Parliament to condemn the coup in its entirety, while seeking a permanent solution to the crisis.
