President Bola Tinubu said many countries, including unnamed non-members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), had readied their troops and other contributions for military intervention in Niger Republic.
The president reveled this in statement by is spokesman, Mr Ajuri Ngelale in Abuja yesterday.
According to Ngelale, the president who is also the chairperson of the ECOWAS heads of state and government, made the revelation during a meeting with Nigerian Islamic clerics at the presidential villa, Abuja.
The clerics serve as mediators between the General Abdourahmane Tchiani-led military government and Tinubu.
Tinubu emphasised that he is at the forefront of a peaceful resolution of the crisis, even in the midst of more hawkish individuals urging swifter intervention.
He said he was the one holding back ECOWAS and other unnamed forces from invading Niger to restore constitutional democracy in that country.
“Even as of this morning (yesterday), I have been inundated with phone calls on the readiness of countries with their military force and contributions. However, I told them to wait. I am meeting with the Ulamas and I will get back to you.
“I am managing a very serious situation. If you take ECOWAS aside, other people will react, those who are outside of our control. I am the one holding those sides back. I am the one holding back ECOWAS,” he said.
He implored the Ulamas, who were previously engaged in discussions to facilitate the restoration of constitutional democratic governance in Niger Republic, to expedite progress in their ongoing dialogue with the junta.
Below is Ngelale’s full statement.
The chairman of the ECOWAS authority of heads of state and government, President Bola Tinubu, has implored a delegation of Islamic scholars (Ulamas), who were previously engaged in discussions to facilitate the restoration of constitutional democratic governance in Niger Republic, to expedite progress in their ongoing dialogue with the military junta.
The President received a comprehensive briefing on Thursday at the State House in Abuja, from the Ulamas, who were led into the meeting by Sheikh Bala Lau.
The briefing followed the Ulamas’ two most recent visits to Niger Republic.
The Islamic leaders had informed the president that the military junta was open to deepening dialogue with ECOWAS as more steps are being taken to forestall armed conflict with a more detailed acceptance of the ECOWAS position by Niger military council officials.
Responding to the delegation of Ulamas, against the backdrop of ethnic rumours peddled by domestic political figures inside and outside of the country, President Tinubu emphasised that he is at the forefront of a peaceful resolution of the crisis, even in the midst of more hawkish individuals urging swifter intervention.
“I am managing a very serious situation. If you take ECOWAS aside, other people will react, those who are outside of our control. I am the one holding those sides back. I am the one holding back ECOWAS,” he disclosed.
Addressing the urgency of the situation, the president added:
“Even as of this morning, I have been inundated with phone calls on the readiness of countries with their military force and contributions. However, I told them to wait. I am meeting with the Ulamas and I will get back to you.”
President Tinubu told the Islamic delegation that the military junta must be held accountable for putting the entire people of Niger Republic in jeopardy.
“They cannot use the gun given to them to protect the sovereignty of the country and turn it against the people of the country,” he said.
President Tinubu pledged that ECOWAS will remain steadfast in its commitment to diplomatically engage with all stakeholders and seek a peaceful resolution to the impasse in Niger Republic.
“I will draw a line in the sand and ask you to make arrangements to go back to Niger Republic,” he stated.
On the request by the Islamic scholars for the federal government to monitor the distribution of palliatives to states, the President promised that more palliatives are coming for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) nationwide.
He also appealed to state governments to ensure transparency and accountability in the distribution and management of these palliatives.
“The people reside in the states. Even if I set up a panel, I will have to go through the governors and the local governments. We will continue to talk to the governors. Nigerians must hold them accountable,” he continued.
“It’s unheard of that in a constitutional democracy a president will sit here and give orders to states. I can only appeal to them to implement. The people reside in the states, and if the governor is not doing well, the people must vote them out,” he concluded.
