Abuja, August 09 - (Mediaage NG News) – President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has countered criticisms aimed at his decision as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to explore possible military intervention in Niger over last month’s coup.
He insisted that this, and the ultimatum given to Niger’s military coup leaders to reinstate the ousted president, was the ECOWAS regional bloc’s decision and not a Nigerian mandate.
President Tinubu has been criticised by some within and outside Nigeria for supposedly canvassing for military intervention in Niger. The country’s parliament also seem not to be in favour of a military action against the Nigerian coup plotters.
“The president has deemed it necessary to state unequivocally that the mandate and ultimatum issued by ECOWAS is that of ECOWAS’ position”, said a statement from a spokesman in the Nigerian presidency.
The spokesperson also said the financial sanctions against Niger are imposed by ECOWAS.
The BBC said ECOWAS had earlier reiterated its preferred diplomatic and political stand at restoring Niger’s elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
However, it said a military intervention would be a “last option”, should the junta remain defiant.
Following the expiration of the ECOWAS deadline last Sunday, the regional bloc’s heads of state will be meeting tomorrow Thursday in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, where focus would be on deliberations on the next line of action on Niger.