Niger Crisis: Tinubu urges diplomatic measures from ECOWAS leaders

President Bola Tinubu, as the Chair of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, has called upon the leaders of member countries to continue pursuing diplomatic solutions to the political turmoil in the Republic of Niger. His remarks were delivered during the 2nd Extraordinary Summit on the Socio-Political Situation in Niger held in Abuja on Thursday. Tinubu emphasized the importance of assessing the effectiveness of interventions undertaken and identifying any obstacles that may have impeded progress. He stressed, “Only through this comprehensive assessment can we collectively chart a sustainable path toward lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in Niger.” In his address, he reaffirmed the commitment to democracy, human rights, and the well-being of the Nigerien people. He underscored the necessity of prioritizing diplomatic negotiations and dialogue to reach a resolution. “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,” Tinubu asserted. While urging the leaders to recognize the impact of the political crisis on Niger’s stability and the broader sub-region, he advocated adherence to democratic principles, good governance, and the rule of law to restore peace and prosperity. Tinubu also regarded the summit as a momentous occasion to reinforce West Africa’s unity and resilience. “Let us seize this opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of our fellow Africans as we strive to build a future defined by peace, progress, and prosperity,” he remarked. He commended the diplomatic envoys deployed to mediate in Niger, Libya, and other partner countries. The summit attendees included Presidents Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco of Guinea Bissau, Everiste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania, Nana Akofo-Ado of Ghana, Macky Sall of Senegal, and Patrice Talon of Benin Republic. Retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, Babagana Kingibe, and the Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar Sa’ad III, were also present. In response to the military coup in Niger, ECOWAS had implemented a no-flight zone over the country, aiming to curb the junta’s influence. Immediate financial sanctions were imposed, and the junta was given a week to relinquish power, with the possibility of a military intervention if necessary. ECOWAS maintained recognition of President Mohamed Bazoum and called upon member states and the international community to uphold these decisions to restore peace and stability. Speaking at the emergency meeting, President Tinubu condemned the coup and asserted that Africa had reached a new level of maturity.

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.

Address good governance, alliance tells ECOWAS leaders

The Alliance for Deepening Democracy (A4DD) has called on leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take urgent measures to address challenges to democracy principles and good governance in the region in order to stem the scourge of unconstitutional takeover of governments now afflicting some of its member countries. In a statement issued Monday/ in Abuja, the alliance of organizations working to advance democracy in Nigeria, strongly condemned the July 28, 2023 coup in which President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic was removed from power in a military takeover but noted that the failure of leaders in many ECOWAS member states to adhere to the universally accepted norms of democratic practice and good governance principles had become a ready justification for insurgents and coup plotters undermining democratic governance, peace and stability of the region. The Alliance identified some of the challenges to good governance in West Africa as the failure of some leaders to respect constitutional term limits in their countries, the manipulation of electoral processes leading to the emergence of governments with dubious legitimacy from such flawed elections, widespread violation of human rights and constriction of civic space in many countries, the high level of corruption, lack of independence of the Judiciary, and the inability of governments to deliver basic public services to their citizens in countries across the region. Noting that the coup in Niger was the seventh coup attempt and fourth successful military takeover of power in West Africa since 2020, the Alliance said it was deeply concerned that a region that was once celebrated as demonstrating the strongest political will and leadership in advancing democratic governance, peace and stability is now referred to as “the coup belt of Africa”. It said although some of the coups are greeted with jubilations on the streets of the different countries, the reactions were not necessarily informed by the people’s love for military regimes but are frequently motivated by a growing frustration among the people about democratic governance, especially the failure of leaders to meet the collective and individual aspirations of their citizens. Insisting that ECOWAS leaders had a duty to ensure good governance and adherence to sound democratic principles and practices, the Alliance contended that since they have always cited the violation of the region’s Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance as the basis for their zero tolerance for military takeover of governments, it is imperative that they also abide by a key feature of the Protocol, which is the common and universal norms on democratic governance expected of member states through “constitutional convergence”. The Alliance argued that the failure of ECOWAS leaders to address other challenges to good governance and democracy while seeking to take decisive action against coups would only reinforce the impression that they are only interested in ensuring their continued stay in office and have no real desire to promote universally accepted democratic norms and good governance. The Deputy Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Alliance, Ms Faith Waziri, who is also the Communications Officer of the Women in Politics Forum, said: “Sadly, experience from the past in some of the West African countries under military leadership has demonstrated that the military is no different to the political class they often claim to liberate the people from. Thus, if this dangerous precedent is not curtailed immediately, we are concerned that it may become an uncontrolled trend in the region, putting the freedom of the people at risk.” She said that “While we commend the region’s zero tolerance for military takeover, the conspicuous silence of ECOWAS leaders in the face of violations of the constitutional convergence principles as outlined in the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Governance has raised legitimacy concerns and doubts over the sincerity of ECOWAS in championing democracy and good governance in the region.”