*Asks Akpabio, principal officers to meet Tinubu
*France backs ECOWAS bid to quash Nigerien coup
*Atiku, PDP govs, NWC caution against war
*Niger’s junta seeks Russia’s Wagner group’s help to combat ECOWAS military threat
Chuks Okocha and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna
The efforts by the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to reinstate the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic by military action yesterday suffered a setback as the Senate yesterday urged President Bola Tinubu to explore political and diplomatic solutions to restore democracy in the troubled country.
President Tinubu, who is the Chairman of ECOWAS, and other leaders of the sub-regional body rose from an emergency extraordinary meeting in Abuja, last Sunday with a call on the coup plotters to reinstate President Bazoum within seven days or be forced out by military action.
The ECOWAS leaders, who insisted that Bazoum was the legitimate president of the Republic of Niger, also mulled other decisive actions, including the imposition of sanctions at the end of the ultimatum, which expires today.
President Tinubu had in an official communication sent to the Senate on Friday, sought the support of the lawmakers for the implementation of the resolutions of ECOWAS on the political situation in Niger Republic.
But after a two-hour deliberation behind closed doors, the Senate yesterday advised President Tinubu against using military actions to force the coup plotters out of power.
The red chamber urged Tinubu and other leaders of ECOWAS to adopt diplomacy in tackling the change of government in the Republic of Niger.
This is coming as the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, has said that France is “strongly” in support of efforts by the ECOWAS to “defeat” the coup in the Niger Republic.
However, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar; governors elected on the party’s platform, as well as the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) yesterday cautioned President Bola Tinubu against going to war with Niger Republic.
Also, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), an umbrella body for Muslims, headed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, has cautioned against military action in efforts to restore democracy in Niger Republic.
A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Timi Frank, has also claimed that the alleged plot by Tinubu to go to war over a coup in the Niger Republic is to enable him to declare a state of emergency in Nigeria and suspend the ongoing petitions filed to challenge his election.
Addressing his colleagues after the closed-door session, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, disclosed that the lawmakers advised the president against using military actions to force the coup plotters out of power
Akpabio also revealed that the Senate resolved that its leadership should meet with Tinubu over the resolutions of the red chamber.
Akpabio said: “The Senate commends President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and other Heads of States and Governments of the ECOWAS for their prompt response and the position taken on the unfortunate development in Niger Republic.
“The Senate recognises the fact that President Tinubu by his correspondence has not asked for the approval of this Senate to go to war as being erroneously suggested in some quarters.
“Rather, the President and Commander-in-Chief had expressed and I quote, ‘He wished to respectively solicit the support of the National assembly in the successful implementation of the ECOWAS resolutions as outlined in the said communication.’
“The leadership of the Senate is mandated to: Urge the President and Commander-in-Chief on behalf of the Senate on how best to resolve the issues.
“The Senate calls on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Chairman of ECOWAS to further encourage other leaders of ECOWAS to strengthen the political and diplomatic options and other means with which to resolve the political impasse in Niger Republic.
“The National Assembly also calls on the ECOWAS leadership under President Tinubu to resolve the political situation in Niger and return the country to democratic governance in the near future.
“The leadership of the senate is mandated to further engage the President and Commander-in-Chief on behalf of the Senate and the National Assembly on how best to resolve the issue in view of the hitherto existing cordial relationship between Niger and Nigeria.
“Finally, the Senate called on the ECOWAS Parliament to rise to the occasion by condemning this and also positing solutions to resolve this impasse as soon as possible.”
France Backs ECOWAS Bid to Quash Nigerien Coup
Meanwhile, while the Senate has kicked against military action against the coup plotters in Niger, the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Colonna, has declared that France is “strongly” in support of efforts by the ECOWAS to “defeat” the coup in the Niger Republic.
Colonna spoke yesterday when she visited the Prime Minister of the Niger Republic, Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou, at Quai d’Orsay.
The French minister was accompanied by Aichatou Boulama, France’s Ambassador to Niger.
The French minister called on the coup plotters to immediately return to democratic rule.
“France strongly and firmly supports ECOWAS’s efforts to defeat this coup attempt,” she said.
Colonna said France remains committed to the future of Niger and the stability of the entire region.
“ECOWAS gave the putschists a seven-day deadline to end their coup. It expires tomorrow (today), Sunday, August 6”.
“France solemnly calls on those responsible for this coup attempt to release President Bazoum and all members of his government, and to allow the immediate return to constitutional and democratic order,”
Atiku, PDP Govs, NWC Cautions Tinubu against War with Niger
In a related development, the presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general election, Atiku; governors elected on the party’s platform, as well as the party’s NWC yesterday cautioned Tinubu against going to war with Niger Republic.
Rising from a meeting held in Abuja, the PDP leaders urged Tinubu not to plunge Nigeria into a regrettable crisis.
They also noted that the 48 ministerial nominees would have adverse economic implications for Nigeria on the cost of governance.
In the communiqué at the end of the meeting read by the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed Governor Bala Mohammed, the PDP leaders advised Tinubu not to go into any form of war with Niger over the recent military coup in the country.
They insisted that all tools of dialogue and diplomacy should be further employed to resolve the dispute.
“The meeting counselled the federal government to show leadership by cutting the cost of governance. Forty-eight ministers and several special advisers and assistants should be reduced to ensure the health of our economy,” the communique.
“The meeting emphasised the need for party discipline and re-iterated zero tolerance for anti-party activities and sabotage. No individual or group of individuals will be allowed to undermine the unity of the party and its processes.
“The meeting is committed to repositioning and stabilising the party. To this end, the healing and reconciliation process is in progress and yielding results,” the communique added.
The PDP leaders reaffirmed their support for Atiku and the PDP vice presidential candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to reclaim their mandate in the election tribunal.
The PDP leaders also congratulated the party’s leadership for setting up the campaign councils for the off-session elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states and urged the campaign councils to ensure victory for the party in the three states.
The meeting was attended for the first time by the members of the camp of the former Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
The meeting was the first to be attended by the National Vice Chairman for South, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; the National Vice Chairman for South-south, Dan Orbih and the National Vice Chairman for South-east, Ali Odafe, since the crisis that led to the formation of the G-5 governors started.
JNI Asks Nigeria to Halt Military Action in Niger Republic
Meanwhile, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), an umbrella body for Muslims, headed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar III, has cautioned against military action in efforts to restore democracy in Niger Republic.
JNI, in a statement yesterday in Kaduna, said military intervention could have unintended consequences that may impact the peace and stability of Nigeria and Niger.
The statement signed by Prof. Khalid Aliyu, Secretary General of JNI called on all stakeholders to prioritise more diplomatic and political conciliation and collective efforts to resolve the crisis.
“The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) representing the collective voice of the Muslim Ummah, expresses its deep concern and censure of power from a democratically elected President Bozoum, through military coup in Niger Republic”, the statement reads.
“We firmly note the relevance of upholding democratic principles and the rule of law to fostering stability, development and steady progress within nations, which are without doubt cornerstones for good governance, because they (democratic principles and rule of law) prevent arbitrary use of force and power, ensures consistency with international human rights, norms and standards, etc.
“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.
“We acknowledge that dialogue is an invaluable tool in preventing further bloodshed and instability, within the Sahel Region, already beset with many political and security uncertainties.
“Nevertheless, we wish to raise a word of caution against the pursuit of military action as a means to restore democracy.”
The statement noted that “the interlaced landscape of the northern states of Nigeria and the Republic of Niger, it necessitates a more circumspect and thoughtful action and/or approach.”
Aliyu said, “With several Nigerian states sharing borders with Niger Republic, military intervention could have unintended consequences that may impact the peace and stability of both nations.”
The Islamic body, therefore, called on all stakeholders to prioritise more diplomatic and political conciliation and collective efforts to the crisis.”
Tinubu Seeking State of Emergency, Timi Frank Alleges
In another development, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Frank, has also claimed that the alleged plot by Tinubu to go to war over the coup in Niger Republic is to enable him to declare a state of emergency in Nigeria and suspend the ongoing petitions filed to challenge his election.
Frank, who made the allegation in a statement in Abuja, accused Tinubu of capitalising on his position as Chairman of the ECOWAS to legitimise his election mandate in Nigeria.
He insisted that the president’s planned military action over Niger is selfishly motivated as he seeks to gain political capital by legitimising his administration and securing the recognition of international bodies that hitherto have not recognised him as duly elected president.
The activist warned that the president should not lead Nigeria into war with Niger as the consequences of such an action would result in long-term economic, political, and social devastation of the country.
Frank, who is the Ambassador of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) to East Africa and the Middle East, also accused ECOWAS Heads of States and Governments of not working to deepen democracy in the subregion by ensuring good governance.
He accused the ECOWAS leaders of being silent when Presidents illegally steal the people’s mandate through electoral fraud and manipulate constitutional provisions to elongate their tenure in office.
Niger’s Junta Seeks Russia’s Wagner Help to Combat ECOWAS Military Threat
Meanwhile, there are strong indications that Niger Republic’s new military junta has asked for help from the Russian mercenary group, Wagner as the deadline nears for it to release the country’s ousted president or face possible military intervention by the West African regional bloc.
Voice of America reports that the request for Wagner’s help came during a visit by a coup leader, General Salifou Mody, to neighbouring Mali, where he contacted someone from Wagner, Wassim Nasr, a journalist and senior research fellow at the Soufan Center, told The Associated Press. He said three Malian sources and a French diplomat confirmed the meeting first reported by France 24.
“They need (Wagner) because they will become their guarantee to hold onto power,” he said, adding that the group is considering the request. A Western military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment, told the AP they have also heard reports that the junta asked for help from Wagner in Mali.
After his visit to Mali, run by a sympathetic junta, Mody was said to have warned against a military intervention, vowing that Niger would do what it takes not to become “a new Libya,” Niger’s state television reported Friday.
Niger has been seen as the West’s last reliable counterterrorism partner in a region where coups have been common in recent years. Juntas have rejected former colonizer France and turned toward Russia. Wagner operates in a handful of African countries, including Mali, where human rights groups have accused its forces of deadly abuses.
One can’t say there’s a direct Russian implication in Niger’s coup, but “clearly, there’s an opportunistic attitude on the part of Russia, which tries to support destabilization efforts wherever it finds them,” French foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Anne-Claire Legendre told broadcaster BFM Friday
