Abdulsalami Abubakar, the former Nigerian Head of State, has emphasized the importance of diplomatic solutions to the ongoing political crisis in Niger Republic. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Villa in Abuja, Abubakar highlighted that none of the parties involved in the crisis is eager to go to war.
He warned that going to war will not benefit anybody.
The former head of state added that his delegation’s meeting with Niger Republic coup leaders over the weekend was fruitful.
He expressed hope that the political crisis will be resolved through diplomacy.
He said, “As you are aware, the ECOWAS Heads of State have made me an envoy to Niger Republic and over the weekend, we were there to see the military people and discuss and find a way out of the lacuna we find ourselves.
“I must say that our visit to Niger was very fruitful. It has open an avenue to start talking and hopefully, we will get somewhere.
“We’ve started talking; they made their own points and I made mine and I report to the ECOWAS chairperson and he will now consult with his colleagues.
“Hopefully, diplomacy will see the better of the day. Nobody wants to go to war; it doesn’t pay anybody. Our leaders have said if all fail, and I don’t think all will fail; we will get somewhere, we will get out of this mess.”
The coup leader, Abdourahamane Tiani, had said the junta will return to civilian rule within three years but ECOWAS rejected the move.
On July 26, army soldiers deposed Bazoum, causing the West African regional body ECOWAS to threaten to use force to restore him.
As a last option, ECOWAS decided to create a “standby force” to restore democracy in Niger.
SaharaReporters on Tuesday reported that the African Union had suspended Niger Republic over the ongoing situation.
The immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday, also described the proposed military invention by ECOWAS to resolve the ongoing political crisis in Niger Republic as a war between brothers.
El-Rufai stated this on his X, previously Twitter, on Tuesday morning, adding that the battle between ECOWAS and Niger Republic would be a fight between Northern Nigerians and Niger Republic.
