Diplomacy Back on Table as Sanusi Meets Niger Coup Leader, Tchiani, Tinubu

•ECOWAS may consider one-year military transition and elections 

•Muslim clerics step in to help further diplomatic resolution

•Nigerien politicians write president, want sanctions lifted 

•Catholic bishops warn against repeating Libya’s experience

•Address causes of coups in W’Africa, Falana tells leaders

Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha, Kingsley Nwezeh, Michael Olugbode, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja, Gboyega Akinsanmi and Wale Igbintade in Lagos

The push for a diplomatic solution to the Nigerien political crisis might have gained some traction in the standoff between ECOWAS and the Niger coup leaders. This is following the intervention of a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, who yesterday, stepped into the fray by first meeting with the military ruler of Niger Republic, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, and later, President Bola Tinubu, with a view to resolving the political quagmire in the country through negotiations rather than military force.

This deft political move came ahead of today’s meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of States, which is said to be considering proposals from other interventions for a one-year military transition by the junta and then, general election. Though this proposal did not specifically come from Sanusi, but it is said to be one of the proposals under consideration to avoid bloodbath in the region.

Also, as parts of the diplomatic moves being negotiated, some leaders of major Islamic groups in the country, yesterday, met with Tinubu and secured his approval to negotiate with their colleagues from the neighbouring Niger on how to find a fitting solution to the political crisis in Niger.

But the potentially devastating effects of some of the actions so far taken by the ECOWAS leadership, particularly, the various sanctions, forced some political stakeholders in Niger, about eleven of them, to write Tinubu, in his capacity as ECOWAS Chairman, to lift the sanctions imposed on their country.

At the same time, the Reunion of Episcopal Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA) warned about the consequences of military intervention in Niger Republic, saying the ECOWAS leadership must learn from Libya’s tragic experience.

RECOWA, a body comprising all Catholic cardinals, archbishops, and bishops in West Africa, urged the ECOWAS leaders to avoid the use of force in trying to restore the ousted democratic government in the country.

But a group of concerned Nigerians instituted a court action at the ECOWAS court against the use of military action in resolving the Nigerien coup crisis.

Similarly, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) advised Tinubu, as ECOWAS Chairman, to persuade the sub-regional body to adopt diplomatic channels in handling issues in Niger, even as it dismissed military rule as an aberration.

Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) equally appealed to Tinubu to discard the idea of using military action to dislodge the Nigerien coup leaders, saying it has weightier consequences.

But human rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, called on the leaders of ECOWAS to address the real causes of coups in the sub-region.

Sanusi’s meetings with Tinubu and Tchiani took place barely 24 hours after the military authorities in Niger denied diplomats from the United States, African Union (AU), and ECOWAS access in their separate attempts to meet the junta.

Previous Nigerian delegations, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, and former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalaam Abubakar, achieved little in the effort to broker peace.

The leadership of ECOWAS will meet today to mull options on Niger after the expiration of the one week ultimatum given the junta in that country to return power to the democratically elected Bazoum.

But pictures of Sanusi, whose Tijjaniya Islamic sect has a large following in Niger, went viral. Details of the meeting with Tchiani had yet to be made public, though Sanusi said the visit to Niger was a private initiative.

Hours after meeting Tchiani, Sanusi flew into Abuja, the Nigerian capital, and headed to the Presidential Villa to hold another meeting with Tinubu.

Speaking with newsmen after the session with the president, Sanusi said he was at the State House to brief Tinubu on his meeting with the authorities in Niger.

Sanusi stated, “I came to brief him on the details of my discussions with leaders of Niger. We’ll continue to do our best to bring the two parties together to improve understanding. This is the time for public diplomacy, it’s not a matter that we leave to governments, all Nigerians, all Nigeriens need to be involved to find a solution that works for Africa, a solution that works for Niger, that works for Nigeria, and a solution that works for humanity.”

Sanusi also said his visit to Niger was a personal initiative although, he informed top Nigerian government officials about it.

He said, “I was not sent by the government. Government officials were aware I was going, but it was my personal initiative, using my personal contacts to get there and I will continue to do my best. It is my duty as a leader to do that.”

Sanusi also said he was well received by the military leader in Niger.

Muslim clerics, who were opposed to war with the Nigerien military, as threatened about two weeks ago by ECOWAS, said apart from the dire consequences of armed conflict, they were enjoined by their religious faith and the Quran to seek mediation in cases like this.

Sheikh Bala Lau of Izalla group and Sheikh Abdurahman Ahmad of Ansar ud Deen, flanked by leaders of other sects,  addressed newsmen after their meeting in the evening yesterday with Tinubu.

Lau stated, “We thank Allah that He gave us the opportunity to meet with Mr. President, the delegation of Ulama from here in Nigeria met with Mr. President on the issue of Niger Republic. We want to find a lasting solution, we want peace and harmony to reign, not only in Nigeria, but in the sub-Saharan region and in the globe as well.

“The Ulama advised Mr. President that we want peace and reconciliation. If anything happens between you and your neighbour, the holy Quran commands you to reconcile, so we want reconciliation.

“That’s why we are here and our able leader and president accepted the offer that he wants us to intervene and to talk to our brothers in Niger Republic, the scholars also there on how we can come together and bring a lasting solution to this problem.

“That is why we are here and, Insha Allah, by the grace of Allah, we’re optimistic that Allah will do it for us and we’ll find a lasting solution to this issue.”

Ahmad also said, “The president welcomed our intervention and he has promised that if we could also talk to the people on the other side, for them to be ready to give concession, then ECOWAS that he’s chairman of will also be ready.

“Other than that, the president deplored coup d’état in the Sahel region and as a democrat himself, he said he would do everything to ensure that there is democracy, justice, freedom and peace in the sub-region.

“We, as the Ulama, are also committed to peace and justice and the government will be enabling the Ulama to mediate as it is appropriate. This is why we are here and it is a mission accomplished because the president responded positively and in turn he has given us assignment to also mediate to ensure reconciliation between the warring factions in Niger.”

Earlier, some other Islamic clerics warned against the use of military action in bringing back Bazoum. The clerics, after meeting with Tinubu at State House, Abuja, advocated diplomacy in resolving the political crisis in Niger Republic.

Speaking with newsmen in the Hausa language, Secretary General of Jamaatu Nasrul Islam (JNI), Professor Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, said the meeting discussed the proposed military action in Niger.

Aliyu said they were invited by Tinubu based on their positions as clerics and they honoured the invitation.

He said, “Our visit also serves as working (official) visit. We discussed on important matters relating to our dear country and we gave our advice on good leadership. We discussed on subsidy removal and we gave our own advice on that, too, and we told him we wish he had had this consultation before subsidy removal so that its implementation would have been smooth, devoid of all this hardship.

“Regarding Niger issues, we told him our stand, which is dialogue. Diplomacy is the best option, military intervention will not yield the desired outcome. We do not support military intervention, we are emphasising the use of diplomacy.

“When we intervened in Liberia, how did we get out of the mess? Look at what is happening in Libya, we should try as much as we can to avoid that scenario. Niger has all the tendencies of becoming Libya if we are not careful.”

Commenting on the assurance given to them by the president, Aliyu said, “We are on the same page. He is not insisting on military intervention, too. All peaceful means will be followed and exhausted.”

Asked if they were worried that ECOWAS’ position might strain good brotherhood between Nigeria and Niger Republic, the cleric said, “Nigeria and Niger are just like two brothers. We share border, culture, family, languages and even religion. Definitely, we have to tread with caution and solve the issue amicably.”

Concerned Nigerien Politicians Write Tinubu on Sanctions

About 11 political stakeholders in Niger wrote to Tinubu, as ECOWAS Chairman, to lift the sanctions imposed on the country.

The politicians, in a two-page letter written in the French language, described the sanctions as unbearable, ineffective and inappropriate, saying they would have adverse effects on the Nigerien population.

They urged the ECOWAS chairman to explore the option of diplomacy to engage and resolve the issues in Niamey.

The 11 politicians that authored the letter – all members of the Ancien PM include Seinu Oumarrou – are Amadou Salifou, Mamane Oumarou, Cheffou Amadou, Ibrahim Asane Mayaki, Hama Amadou, Ousseni Tinni, Hamilton Algabid, Amadou Boubakar Cise, Ali Bajo Gamatie and Brigi Rafini.

The English translation of the letter read, “Current Chairman of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Excellency, Mr. President, following the military coup in Niger on July 26, 2023, the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held an extraordinary session on July 30, 2023 on the issue in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“At the end of its work, the Conference of Presidents decided to impose extremely severe sanctions of all kinds on our country to compel the perpetrators of the coup to restore constitutional order and restore President Bazoum Mahamed in office.

“By their immediacy, their scale and their effects, these sanctions are unprecedented in the history of our common organisation and at the level of our continent. Indeed, they are from our point of view, unbearable, ineffective and inappropriate and will have unimaginable catastrophic consequences on Niger and, especially, on its hard-working populations, already hard-hit.

“Above all other plan, these sanctions cannot be based on our law community and even less under international law. We are even more concerned about the future of our country and its people, to the extent that these sanctions are accompanied by a threat of military intervention.

“This is why, faced with this imminent rise of perils for our country and for the sub-region, we, the signatories to this letter, ask you to lift the sanctions against the Nigerien people and to use diplomatic and political channels to find with the army, peaceful and constructive solutions to this serious crisis in our country.

“Please accept, Excellency Mr. President, the expression of our highest.”

Catholic Bishops Warn against Libyan Experience

The Reunion of Episcopal Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA) warned about the consequences of military intervention in Niger Republic, saying the ECOWAS leadership must learn from Libya’s tragic experience.

RECOWA, which comprises all Catholic cardinals, archbishops and bishops in West Africa, urged the ECOWAS leadership to avoid the use of force in the effort to restore the ousted democratic government in Niger.

RECOWA, which recalled that Libya’s example left disastrous consequences for people’s lives, dignity and future, expressed concerns in a two-page letter addressed to President of ECOWAS, Heads of State of ECOWAS, and the transitional authorities in Niger, dated August 7. It called for dialogue and reconciliation rather than belligerence and military response.

The letter, signed by President of RECOWA and Bishop of Agboville, Most Rev. Alexis Touabli Youlo, was sequel to the military coup that displaced the democratically elected government of President Mohammed Bazoum in Niger Republic and the resolve of the ECOWAS Authority  to deploy all means necessary, even the use of force, to restore the constitutional regime in Niger.

Despite a seven-day ultimatum issued to the military regime led by Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani to restore Niger’s constitutional government, all other diplomatic measures taken by ECOWAS, African Union (AU), European Union (EU), and the United Nations (UN) to resolve the Niger crisis have not brought about order and stability in the troubled country.

In its two-page letter, RECOWA canvassed pacifism rather than belligerence in the management of the crisis, and invited every actor within and outside the sub-region to show restraint, discernment, and responsibility.

The letter read, “We, the Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops of the Reunion of Episcopal Conferences of West Africa, after consultations, are deeply concerned by the sub-regional tension linked to the political situation in Niger. Faced with the events currently unfolding in the sub-region, the lives of the people of West Africa are at stake.

“Keeping as our central vision, the integrity of the people and emphasising respect for human dignity and a high sense of accountability to mankind, history and God the Creator, we affirm that nothing can justify the creation or facilitation of an environment that is destructive to our people.”

The letter observed that no individual, national, regional, geo-political or denominational interest or project should take precedence over the preservation of life, human dignity and the wellbeing of the future generations in West Africa and beyond.

They contended, “We, your pastors, are convinced, and the history of people teaches us that violence does not solve any problem, not even the one that triggered it. We affirm that any military intervention in Niger at this time would contemplate the situation of the people of Niger and the sub-region more than it would provide solutions.

“Terrorism already has a macabre toll of widows, orphans, displaced persons, the hungry, the maimed and so on. People are not expecting the regional, African and other institutions to add to this toll.”

In retrospect, the bishops cited the military intervention in Libya by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in 2011, describing the military intervention as a tragic example of the disastrous consequences for people’s lives, dignity and future.

The Catholic bishops of West Africa stated, “We cannot remain silent in the face of such situations and must learn lessons to ensure that such events do not happen again, particularly with Niger as a potential epicentre of a similar crisis. As a Bishops’ conference, our mission is intimately linked to the promotion of reconciliation and peace.”

They also challenged all men, women, national, sub-regional and international organisations to play a positive role in easing tensions and promoting lasting peace, noting that the people of the region “love and accept each other and are constantly seeking to improve their coexistence”.

The bishops called on the African Union and ECOWAS to show responsibility before history and revisit their respective missions, saying at this critical and delicate time, it is essential that the organisations play an active role in the search for peaceful and lasting solutions, putting the interests of the people and respect for their dignity first.

They called on the sub-regional leaders to respond decisively to this call for restraint, discernment and responsibility, and work together to build a future of peace and prosperity for the West African region and Africa, as a whole.

CSOs Drag Tinubu, ECOWAS Leaders to Court

A team of concerned Nigerian citizens instituted a court action at the ECOWAS Court against the use of military action to resolve the Nigerien coup crisis.

In a suit filed on their behalf by Dr. Kayode Ajulo, the civil groups, led by Egalitarian and Justice Society, said all African Union member states, in pursuit of the purposes stated in Article II, solemnly affirmed and declared their adherence to the following principles as contained in Article 3.

The principles, according to the suit, included, “The sovereign equality of all member states; non-interference in the internal affairs of states; respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each state and for its inalienable right to independent existence;

“Peaceful settlement of disputes by negotiation, mediation, conciliation or arbitration; and unreserved condemnation, in all its forms, of political assassination as well as of subversive activities on the part of neighbouring states or any other states.”

Ajulo also said, Article 2 subsections 3 and 4 provide, “3. All members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.

“All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.”

The civil society group said these provisions were critical principles guiding acts of member states, adding, “Any military act on Niger is, therefore, a direct breach of these provisions of the African Union and United Nations.”

NGE Calls for Strategic Engagement, Diplomacy

Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) advised President Bola Tinubu, in his capacity as Chairman of ECOWAS, to persuade the sub-regional body to adopt diplomatic channels in handling issues arising from the seizure of power by the military in Niger Republic.

Although the professional body of editors in Nigeria regarded military intervention as an aberration, it, nevertheless, urged ECOWAS to employ “strategic engagement and diplomacy” in ensuring that democratic structures were restored in Niger.

NGE also observed that the hike in the pump price of petrol had taken its toll on Nigerians, who had faced hard times due to the astronomical rise in transportation costs, food items, and other goods.

These were contained in a communique by signed by NGE President, Eze Anaba, and General Secretary, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, at the end of the editors’ Standing Committee Meeting in Lagos, during the week.

While reminding democratically elected governments of the need to ensure good governance and respect for the rule of law, the Guild stated that “democratic government remains the best option in nation states”.

The editors advised the federal and state governments to fulfil their promises to provide palliatives to the people to ease their pains in the face of the current hardship, while commending some states that were already implementing some of their promises.

On internal security, the editors advised government at all levels to provide the Nigeria Police with the necessary assistance to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.

Noting the current efforts by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Solomon Arase-led Police Service Commission to reposition the police for effective service delivery, NGE advised the authorities to sustain the tempo.

It said, “In a progressively interrelated and complex world, it has become obvious that security and development are inseparably linked, especially in a developing country like Nigeria. Security is crucial to economic growth and development, and the Nigeria Police have a role to play in this regard.”

The editors commended the Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for partnering the professional body in the Lateef Jakande Maiden Annual Memorial Lecture, recently instituted.

Don’t Go to War with Niger, Southern, Middle Belt Leaders Plead

Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) pleaded with Tinubu to discard the idea of using military action to dislodge the Nigerien coupists.

SMBLF made the appeal in a statement by its leader, Chief Edwin Clark; Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; and President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

Other signatories were President, Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, and National Chairman, Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien.

SMBLF condemned the military coup in Niger and the overthrow of the democratically elected government of President Mohamed Bazoum. It noted that the development occurred after many years of instability and the history of attempted and successful military coups.

The forum recalled that Bazoum was the first president to peacefully inherit power from another democratically elected president in the country.

It expressed concern that military governments had also taken power in neighbouring countries of Mali and Burkina Faso, stressing that the addition of Niger to the list of such a breach of national constitutions is uncomfortable and definitely cannot be allowed to stand.

However, SMBLF urged Tinubu, who is ECOWAS Chairman, to tread with caution while handling the delicate Nigerien issue.

Address Causes of Coups, Falana Tells ECOWAS Leaders

Human rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, called on the ECOWAS leaders to address the real causes of coups in the sub-region.

Falana, in a statement, drew the attention of the leaders to the main causes of unconstitutional change of government and how to arrest the ugly development.

According to him, tenures of elected presidents should be limited to two terms in office, while sanctions should be imposed on democratically elected presidents, who engaged in amendment of the national constitutions to extend their tenures beyond two terms.

The lawyer also identified disobedience of court orders by ECOWAS leaders as reason for change of governments in West Africa, adding that African leaders are in contempt of the rule of law and human rights.

Falana said, “Judgements of domestic and regional courts are disobeyed without any repercussion.”

He stated that it had been confirmed that another principal cause of violent change of governments in West Africa was the reckless exploitation of the natural resources of the member states of the ECOWAS by former colonial regimes and their allies.

He added that such exploitation was compounded by the control of the national economies by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Falana maintained, “Until about three years ago, all the member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) were led by democratically elected governments. But since some ECOWAS leaders decided to extend their tenure, there had been about nine successful and unsuccessful coups in West Africa.

“In view of the meeting of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, the highest decision making organ of the ECOWAS, scheduled to hold in Abuja on Thursday, August 10, 2023, it is pertinent to draw attention to the main causes of unconstitutional change of government and how to arrest the ugly development.

“Limit tenure of elected presidents to two terms: it is common knowledge that the immediate and remote cause of unconstitutional change of governments is the manipulation of constitutions and referenda by elected governments to extend the tenure of presidents.”