President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has stated that nine months is enough for the Niger military junta to return the country to civilian rule.
Tinubu, who is also the current Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suggested that military leaders of Niger who seized power from President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, can replicate General Abdulsalami Abubakar of Nigeria’s nine-month programme used to successfully return Nigeria to democracy in 1999.
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Channels TV reported that Tinubu said this when he received the Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, at the State House.
Investogist reported on August 21 that the Military government of Niger Republic, led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani has pledged to return the country to civilian rule within three years.
According to a statement by his spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, the ECOWAS chief said sanctions imposed on Niger Republic won’t be lifted without “positive adjustments” by the military junta.
At an extraordinary summit of the ECOWAS Authority in Abuja on August 10, the body directed the Committee of the Chief of Defense Staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately.
It followed it up with an order to deploy the ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
On August 18, Niger’s state television announced that Mali and Burkina Faso has dispatched warplanes to the country, in a show of solidarity.
On the same 18th August, the ECOWAS commissioner for peace and security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, said 11 of its 15 member states agreed to commit troops to a military deployment, saying they were “ready to go” whenever the order was given.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
