Coup in Niger: Senate advises Tinubu, ECOWAS on diplomatic engagement with junta

Nigeria Senate on Saturday urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to toe the path of diplomatic engagement in the ongoing suspension of democracy in the neighbouring Niger Republic.

The resolution was reached after a four-hour closed-door meeting on the crisis rocking Niger, a West African country.

The resolution of the upper legislative chamber followed an executive communication, which President Tinubu sought for the implementation of resolution of ECOWAS on the political situation in Niger Republic.

Reacting to the letter, Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio, said, President Tinubu never requested for approval for Nigeria to go to war with Niger Republic, stating that there was misrepresentation of the letter in the media.

According to him, President Tinubu requested for approval for the implementation of ECOWAS resolutions in his capacity as the Chairman of ECOWAS.

He said: “By the virtue of the correspondence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Commander-in-Chief, he has not o for the approval of the parliament or of Senate to go to war as erroneously suggested in some quarters, rather Mr President and Commander-in-Chief had expressed and I quote, in which to respectfully solicited support in the successful implementation of the ECOWAS resolutions in the said communications.”

“The leadership of the Senate is mandated to further engage with the President and Commander-in-Chief on behalf of the entire Senate to ensure how best to resolve the crisis.

“The Senate call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Chairman of ECOWAS to further encourage other leaders of ECOWAS to strengthen political and diplomatic options and other means with a view to resolving the impasse.”