Niger coup: Tinubu has not asked for approval to go to war – Senate

By Tunde Opalana

Senate today said President Bola Tinubu has not sought parliamentary approval to deploy Nigeria’s military to Niger Republic to join troops from other sub- region nations to flush out the military junta that has held a democratic government to ransom.

The Senate, though, commended President Tinubu and other Heads of States and Governments of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for their prompt response and the position taken on the unfortunate development in Niger Republic.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio made the clarification immediately the lawmakers resumed at plenary after about two hours’ closed door session.

He said: “The Senate recognizes the fact that President Tinubu, by virtue of his correspondence, has not asked for the approval of this Senate to go to war as being erroneously suggested in some quarters.

“Rather, the President and Commander-in-Chief had expressed and I quote, “He wished to respectively solicit the support of the National Assembly in the successful implementation of the ECOWAS’ resolutions as outlined in the said communication’.’

Akoabio said the Senate therefore urged the President, on behalf of the Senate, on how best to resolve the issues.

“The Senate calls on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Chairman of ECOWAS to further encourage other leaders of ECOWAS to strengthen the political and diplomatic options and other means with which to resolve the political impasse in Niger Republic.

“The National Assembly urged the ECOWAS leadership under President Tinubu to resolve the political situation in Niger and returning the country to democratic governance in the nearest future.

“The leadership of the Senate is mandated to further engage the President and Commander-in-Chief, on behalf of the Senate and the National Assembly, on how best to resolve the issue in view of the hitherto existing cordial relationship between Nigeria and Nigeriens.

“Finally, the Senate called on the ECOWAS Parliament to rise to the occasion by condemning this and also positing solutions to resolve this impasse as soon as possible”.

The Daily Times recalls that President Tinubu in a letter on Friday requested for support in the implementation of the resolutions of ECOWAS on the political situation in Niger Republic.

The letter on the political situation in Niger read: “Following the unfortunate political situation in Niger Republic culminating in the overthrow of its President, ECOWAS under my leadership condemned the coup in its entirety and resolved to seek the return of the democratically elected government. In a bid to restore peace, ECOWAS convened a meeting and came out with a communique.

“The resolutions are; Closure and monitoring of all land borders with Niger Republic and reactivating of the border drilling exercise; Cutting off Electricity supply to Niger Republic and Mobilizing international support for the implementation of the provisions of the ECOWAS communique.”

Other resolutions, according to the letter, are: Preventing the operation of commercial and special flights into and from Niger Republic; Blockade of goods in transit to Niger especially from Lagos and eastern seaports; Embarking on sensitization of Nigerians and Nigeriens on the imperative of these actions particularly via social media.”

Tinubu added “military build-up and deployment of personnel for military intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger, should they remain recalcitrant”.