Niger/Coup: Nigerian President Bola Tinubu reviewed his position and advocates now for Negotiations

The negotiations with the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP) in Niger must be the «bedrock of our approach», Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu said in Abuja on Thursday at the opening of a new ECOWAS summit on Niger.

«It is crucial that we give priority to diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the basis of our approach», said the President of Nigeria, the current Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

He added that the organisation must engage «all parties concerned, including the perpetrators of the coup, in serious discussions to convince them to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum».

ECOWAS had issued a threat of military intervention in the event of a failure to return to constitutional order by Sunday 6 August, at its first summit on 30 July.

President Bola Tinubu stressed, «Unfortunately, the ultimatum we issued at the first summit did not produce the expected results».

Following President Tinubu’s address, the Heads of State withdrew for a meeting behind closed doors. The leaders of Burundi and Mauritania, although not members of ECOWAS but invited by the organisation, were also present at this new ecowas summit on Niger.

Emissaries from Algeria and Libya are also present, as  representatives of the United Nations and the African Union.

Fayçal BADIE