UN, Nigeria, France, others pile pressure on Niger Republic coup leaders

There is a ring round the coup leaders in Niger Republic towards restoring democracy in the country, as President Bola Tinubu, in his capacity as Chairman, ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, will today in Abuja host a special meeting of the leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Also, the United States Vice President Kamala Harris and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, are supporting Nigeria’s efforts toward the restoration of constitutional order in Niger.

In the same vein, the French government has insisted on reinstatement of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum.

Similarly, former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari said he was shocked by the coup and expressed worries about the safety of Bazoum and his family.
Soldiers from the Presidential Guard had on Wednesday deposed President Bazoum, thus truncating the constitutional political leadership in the West African country.

However, only on Friday, the coupists named General Abdourahamane Tchiani as the new leader of the country, with Tchiani warning against any foreign military intervention.

President Tinubu had in a statement he personally signed last Wednesday condemned the coup in Niger and promised that ECOWAS and the international community would do everything to defend democracy and ensure democratic governance continues to take firm root in the sub-region.
He declared: “As the Chairperson of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, I state without equivocation that Nigeria stands firmly with the elected government in Niger and equally conveys the absolute resolve of leaders in our sub-region that we shall not waiver or flinch on our stand to defend and preserve constitutional order.”

Tinubu also sent a strong delegation on an intervention mission to engage all the parties with a view to restoring constitutional order.

President of Benin, Patrice Talon, who visited Tinubu to discuss the crisis, was directed to proceed to Niger for talks with the coupists.

The United States Vice President and the United Nations Secretary-General are strongly in support of Tinubu’s efforts to restore constitutional order in Niger.

The two leaders, in separate telephone conversations with President Tinubu on Thursday evening in Abuja, commended him for spearheading the peace moves.
In her telephone conversation with

Tinubu, at the instance of the US authorities, Harris pledged to support democracy in Africa, including the West African sub region, and also said the U.S. would assist Nigeria in the battle against terrorism.

Responding, President Tinubu thanked Harris for the telephone call and her words of encouragement on the efforts taken so far on the economy, but added that “the developments in Niger Republic dampen spirits.”

According to him, ECOWAS under his watch would do all that is necessary to restore democracy in Niger, while counting on the support of the US.
On Nigeria, President Tinubu craved for more private sector investment, urging the US to lead the way in this regard.

He said: “We had to get rid of the fuel subsidy that is laden with fraud with a few people appropriating the wealth of the country to themselves.
“We would need the US to help push for investments that will help alleviate the effects of subsidy removal in Nigeria. We need foreign direct investment to come in.

“We have abundant gas resources in the country and not being able to fund gas pipelines to Europe and compete in that gas market is a handicap.”

On climate change, the President said Nigeria would stay focused on alternate energy but pleaded for the developed nations to understand the situation in developing countries, including Africa.

The two leaders also spoke on strengthening relations between their two countries and on their shared work on global and regional issues.
In his conversation with Guterres, President Tinubu said he was doing everything possible to resolve the impasse in Niger.

While expressing the hope that the situation in Niger could still be reversed for better, he said ECOWAS would require UN’s support for restoring democracy and building institutions in that country.
Guterres had earlier pledged the commitment of the UN for Tinubu’s peace efforts in Niger.