Tinubu’s Intervention Can’t Solve Ondo Crisis – PDP

Amidst the ongoing efforts to resolve the protracted political standoff in Ondo State, the Peoples Democratic Party’s state chapter has rebuffed the involvement of President Bola Tinubu, asserting that his intervention falls short in resolving the crisis. President Tinubu had convened a late-night meeting with the leadership of the State House of Assembly and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, aiming to address the contentious situation. Kennedy Peretei, the Publicity Secretary of the opposition party, labeled the meeting as a superficial attempt, emphasizing that the absence of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu poses a significant obstacle to any genuine resolution. Peretei expressed skepticism, drawing parallels to previous reconciliation endeavors that yielded no tangible results, citing the example of the Bello Masari Reconciliation Committee set up by APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, which culminated in parties returning to court despite assurances of case withdrawal. “While the impeachment of the Deputy Governor might be halted out of deference for the presidential intervention, the crisis remains unresolved as long as Akeredolu evades return,” stated Peretei.  “The ongoing political deadlock is far from over, resembling a cat-and-mouse race until substantial steps are taken.”

Niger Coup: No harm will come to ousted Bazoum, PM Zein assures

*Says Niger will not collaborate with Russia or the Kremlin-backed Wagner group Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, the newly appointed Prime Minister of Niger, has conveyed that the generals responsible for the recent coup, which led to the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, are committed to ensuring his safety. In an interview with The New York Times, Zeine, the most prominent civilian figure appointed by the military, emphasized that Niger does not have a history of resorting to violence. “Nothing will happen to him, because we don’t have a tradition of violence in Niger,” Zeine, the most senior civilian appointed by the military leaders, told the newspaper in an interview from Dakar on the fate of overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum. Speaking from Dakar, Zeine assured that there are no plans for harm to befall President Bazoum, who has been confined to his residence since the coup. Zeine also explicitly stated that there is no intention to collaborate with Russia or the Kremlin-backed Wagner group, addressing concerns about external partnerships. Reports from The New York Times indicate that the ousted President’s house had its water and electricity supply disrupted by the coup leaders, who also issued threats regarding his safety if other African countries proceed with a military intervention to restore him to power. In response to the situation, President Bola Tinubu warned of “grave consequences” should Bazoum’s health deteriorate while under house arrest, as conveyed by a European Union official. Meanwhile, questions about Bazoum’s well-being and his status were raised by reporters at the United Nations headquarters in New York. A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirmed that they have received information from a reliable source indicating that Bazoum is alive. Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson, stated, “As far as we know, he’s alive.” Prime Minister Zeine, a trained economist who had previously served as the finance minister, addressed the presence of foreign military forces in Niger. He commented on the presence of 1,100 American soldiers and 1,500 French soldiers involved in anti-terrorist operations alongside the local army. Zeine suggested that a review of such military partnerships might be necessary and acknowledged the diplomatic approach of the White House in resolving the crisis. As Niger navigates this complex situation, the commitment to peaceful resolution and the assurance of the safety of ousted leaders remain crucial aspects of the ongoing discourse.

Niger Crisis: ECOWAS Parliament holds extra-ordinary session

The ECOWAS Parliament will on Saturday, August 12 hold a virtual Extra-Ordinary Session to exhaustively discuss the recent political developments in the Republic of Niger. This is contained in a statement by the Communications Division of the parliament. The parliament said that within the context of giant changes that occurred in the politico-economic spectrum of the world in the late 1980s, several ECOWAS member states were motivated to take decisive steps towards achieving peace and security through the development of democracy and good governance by the early 1990s. “Thus, the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance came into force in 2001, marking an important stage in the sub-region’s political development. “Military regimes and one-party systems caved in for the emergence of multi-Party democracies. “Nevertheless, recent political developments in the region are pointing toward a reversal of the political gains of the past two decades. “There is a resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government through military coup d’etat, as recorded in four Member States of the sub-region, namely: the Republics of Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and most recently, Niger,’’ the parliament observed. It said consequent upon such developments, the day-long session would see the 115-member parliament considering the emerging developments, following the unconstitutional change of government by the military of the Republic of Niger. Niger’s military last month imprisoned President Mohamed Bazoum and assumed power, drawing condemnation from international powers and raising the spectre of further conflict in the impoverished Sahel region of West Africa which is already overrun by a deadly Islamist insurgency. The ECOWAS Parliament has a total of 115 seats and 14 Standing Committees. Each member state is guaranteed a minimum of allotted five seats, with the remaining 40 seats distributed in proportion to the population of each country. Consequently, Nigeria has a total of 35 seats, followed by Ghana with eight seats. Côte d’Ivoire is allotted seven seats, while Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Senegal have six seats respectively. The remaining ECOWAS member states, namely Benin, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo, have allotted to each of them, five seats. 

Niger Coup: ECOWAS leaders gather as Tinubu declares Summit open

High-level representatives hailing from the West African region have convened in Abuja for an emergency summit aimed at addressing the recent coup in Niger, subsequent to the military junta’s defiance of an ultimatum urging the restoration of elected President Bazoum. The pivotal meeting took place in Abuja, Nigeria’s political capital, and was attended by several West African leaders, including President Bola Tinubu, who holds the role of Chairman within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Notable figures from the United Nations and African Union were also present at the event. In his capacity as the convener, President Tinubu officially initiated the extraordinary gathering and emphasized the profound ramifications of the coup in Niger on the stability of democratically established governments within the sub-region. He articulated the imperative of prioritizing diplomatic negotiations and open dialogue with the military junta in Niger to ameliorate the crisis. President Tinubu expressed, “Reaffirming our unwavering commitment to democracy, human rights, and the welfare of the Nigerien people, it is of utmost importance that we place diplomatic negotiations and dialogue at the forefront of our strategy. “We must engage all stakeholders, including the leaders of the coup, in sincere discussions aimed at persuading them to relinquish authority and reinstate President Bazoum. Our responsibility is to exhaust all possible avenues of engagement in order to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger.” The President further expounded, “In a more specific context, as leaders representing our respective nations, we must acknowledge that the political turmoil in Niger not only jeopardizes the nation’s stability but also casts extensive reverberations across the entire West African region. “Through unwavering adherence to the principles of democracy, effective governance, and the rule of law, we can reestablish tranquility, stability, and prosperity within the Republic of Niger, thereby cultivating an environment conducive to comprehensive growth and development for all.” “More so, in reaffirming our relentless commitment to democracy, human rights, and the well-being of the people of Niger, it is crucial that we prioritize diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach. “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. “More specifically, as leaders of our respective nations, we must recognize that the political crisis in Niger not only poses a threat to the stability of the nation but also has far-reaching implications for the entire West African region. “By remaining steadfast in our adherence to the principles of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law, we can restore peace, stability, and prosperity in the Republic of Niger, thereby fostering an environment conducive to growth and development for all.” Following President Tinubu’s address, the summit transitioned into a confidential deliberation phase. The meeting, convened two weeks subsequent to the coup that ousted Mohamed Bazoum, who ascended to power in 2021, signifies ECOWAS’s proactive pursuit of a diplomatic resolution while keeping the prospect of employing force as a last resort. Critical determinations are anticipated from the gathering held in Abuja, as ECOWAS endeavors to curtail the succession of coups among its member states that has been unfolding since 2020. The coalition granted the military forces, which assumed control on July 26, a grace period until the prior Sunday to reinstate President Bazoum, aged 63, under the threat of potential military intervention. In response to the crisis, Nigeria, among other measures including border closures, has suspended electricity supply to Niger as part of a series of economic sanctions. Nonetheless, the leaders of the coup remained steadfast in their stance, and the deadline elapsed without any observed action. Tinubu’s Full Speech at the Summit Your Excellency, the President of the ECOWAS Commission; Your Excellency, President of the African Union Commission; Your Excellency, President of the UEMOA Commission; The Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in West Africa and the Sahel; and Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen. 1. Let me commence by welcoming you all to the Second (2nd) Extraordinary Summit on the Socio-Political Situation in the Republic of Niger, within the space of ten days. Your presence here, despite the short notice, demonstrates the unwavering dedication of our esteemed community to finding a lasting solution to the political situation in the Republic of Niger. 2. Today, we gather with a profound sense of urgency and firm determination, building upon the commitments made during our first Extraordinary Summit, on the grave political crisis befalling our sister nation. During that initial meeting, we voiced our solidarity with the people of Niger and their democratically elected President, H.E Mohamed Bazoum, by condemning the military take over and the unjust detention of their democratically elected President. Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, 3. As you may recall, we called on the junta to rescind its decision of toppling a legitimate government. We proceeded to impose sanctions with the hope that this resolute measure would serve as a catalyst for the restoration of the constitutional order in Niger. Regrettably, the seven-day ultimatum we issued during the first Summit has not yielded the desired outcome. We have also made diligent efforts through the deployment of various ECOWAS mediation teams, to engage the military junta for a peaceful resolution of the political situation. One of the facilitators, former Head of State of Nigeria, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, would update us on the outcome of his mission to Niamey. 4. Similarly, as part of a coherent diplomatic initiatives, Special Envoys were dispatched to non-ECOWAS nations, particularly Libya and Algeria. During these engagements, the Envoy designated for Libya had the privilege of an audience with the President of Libya. This discourse resulted in an unequivocal expression of support for the resolutions adopted by ECOWAS aimed at restoring constitutional governance in Niger. In Algeria, the Envoy was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the President of the country.