The ECOWAS Parliament’s stance on managing the Republic of Niger’s political crisis has created division. While some members advocate for dialogue and diplomacy, others seek actions against the surge of coup d’états in the region.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!At a virtual extraordinary meeting involving twenty-two parliamentarians, discussions revolved around resolving the West African nation’s political turmoil. Opponents of military intervention argued that it would lead to severe hardships. First Deputy Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Hon Idris Wase, stood against military intervention in Niger.
A member of the Nigerian delegation to ECOWAS Parliament, Ali Ndume, criticized Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, ECOWAS chairman, for unilaterally closing the Nigerian-Niger border and disconnecting power supply to Niger without National Assembly approval.
While Tinubu had remarked on the potential use of force as a last resort, ECOWAS endorsed the enforcement of sanctions on Niger’s military junta and the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order. President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray, conveyed these decisions after the Abuja extraordinary meeting.
ECOWAS called on the African Union, partner countries, and institutions to support its resolutions. The organization expressed regret over the failed attempts at peaceful dialogue with Niger’s military junta and directed the Chief of Defence Staff’s committee to activate the standby force. Despite this, ECOWAS reiterated its commitment to diplomatic solutions for the political crisis.
Tinubu emphasized diplomacy as the central approach, stating, “We prioritize diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach.” He continued, “Regrettably, the seven-day ultimatum we issued during the first summit has not yielded the desired outcome. We must engage all parties involved, including the coup leaders, in earnest discussions to convince them to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum. It is our duty to exhaust all avenues of engagement to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger.”
