Abuja, Nigeria
President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria today called for diplomacy in resolving the coup in Niger, saying that all avenues of engagement must be exhausted to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance.
Tinubu made the remarks at the opening of the Second Extraordinary Summit on the Socio-Political Situation in the Republic of Niger, which was held in Abuja. The summit was convened by ECOWAS to discuss the way forward in Niger, where a military junta seized power in February.
Tinubu said that ECOWAS had already taken a number of steps to pressure the junta to restore democracy, including imposing sanctions and sending mediation teams to Niger. However, he said that these measures had not yet been successful.
“We must now explore all avenues of engagement, including diplomacy, to convince the junta to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum,” Tinubu said. “We must remain steadfast in our adherence to the principles of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law.”
Tinubu also said that the coup in Niger posed a threat to the stability of the entire West African region. He called on all ECOWAS member states to work together to restore democracy in Niger and to prevent further coups in the region.
