ABUJA, Nigeria — As the political turmoil intensifies in the Republic of Niger following a recent coup d’etat, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and other high-ranking ECOWAS officials are actively seeking a peaceful resolution.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, alongside the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, met with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja to discuss the rapidly evolving situation.
An inside source disclosed, “President Tinubu is walking a tightrope. While he’s wary of leading ECOWAS into a conflict with Niger, the weight of international pressure, especially from the U.S. and France, is palpable. There’s an alarming shift towards aggression even among some ECOWAS member states.”
It seems that the hope is to leverage dialogue to find common ground with the military junta in Niger, who have expressed a willingness to talk.
“Tinubu is navigating a complex landscape, hoping to avert a full-blown war while still upholding the principles of democracy,” the source further revealed.
In a recent move, the African Union, AU, has taken decisive action against the Nigerien military junta’s unconstitutional takeover.
Announcing a suspension of Niger from all its institutions, the bloc strongly condemned the junta’s refusal to restore power to the democratically elected President, Mohammed Bazoum.
In a communique released on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, the AU stated: “The AU… calls upon all Member States and the international community to reject this unconstitutional change of government and to abstain from any action that may validate the illegal regime in Niger.”
With mounting international pressure and the region’s stability in the balance, ECOWAS and other stakeholders are keenly watched by the world as they make their next move.
The coming days could dictate the trajectory of West Africa’s political landscape for years to come.
