By Kamil Opeyemi
Nigeria’s President and the Chairman of the Economic Community of West Africa, Bola Tinubu has vowed not to allow any successful coup take place in neighbouring Niger Republic. NPO Reported earlier that palace guards had detained President Mohammed Bazoum and arrested his Defence Minister in what appears to be an attempt to oust the regime of Bazoum.
But in a swift response from the ECOWAS Chairman, Tinubu said he is monitoring the situation in Niger and would not allow any undemocratic move against the government of the day. In a statement made available to the NPO Reports Wednesday afternoon, the President was quoted as saying that he is in touch with other West African leaders to find a way to stop the coup. The statement which was personally signed by the ECOWAS Chairman, he said, “Information filtering in from the Republic of Niger indicates some unpleasant developments around the country’s highest political leadership.
“It should be quite clear to all players in the Republic of Niger that the leadership of the ECOWAS Region and all lovers of democracy around the world will not tolerate any situation that incapacitates the democratically-elected government of the country.
“The ECOWAS leadership will not accept any action that impedes the smooth functioning of legitimate authority in Niger or any part of West Africa.
“I wish to say that we are closely monitoring the situation and developments in Niger and we will do everything within our powers to ensure democracy is firmly planted, nurtured, well rooted and thrives in our region.
I am in close consultation with other leaders in our region, and we shall protect our hard-earned democracy in line with the universally acceptable principle of constitutionalism.”
As the Chairperson of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, I state without equivocation that Nigeria stands firmly with the elected government in Niger and equally conveys the absolute resolve of leaders in our sub-region that we shall not waver or flinch on our stand to defend and preserve constitutional order.