President Bola Tinubu in his position as the head of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government has sent a former Military Head of State Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, to be joined by the Sultan of Sokoto to lead the delegation to Niger Republic on Thursday to try and resolve the ongoing political crisis.
Presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale announced this decision in a press release statement.
The press release explained, “The action was in line with the resolution reached at the end of the extraordinary summit of the ECOWAS held last weekend in Abuja.”
The delegation’s goal is to discuss the coup that toppled Niger’s government under President Mohamed Bazoum.
ECOWAS has demanded that Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani’s military rulers return the nation to a democratic government within a week.
Nigeria recently halted its electricity supply to Niger, a move that sparked varying reactions. The cut was part of efforts to apply pressure on the country.
The press release further explained, “The delegation, headed by former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), left for Niamey on Thursday following a briefing by President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.
“The former Nigerian Head of State is joined in the delegation by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Omar Alieu Touray.”
In order to establish a definitive and peaceful conclusion in Niger, Tinubu advised the delegations to engage every stakeholder intensively.
He emphasized that rather than imitating the geopolitical viewpoints of other countries, the emphasis should be on democracy and peace.
General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Ret.) said after the meeting that the group would go to Niger and present the coup leaders with the demands of the ECOWAS leadership. The two mission leaders both expressed confidence in the tasks’ success.
Ada Peter
