Politics
ECOWAS Parliament Divided Over Niger Junta
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament was, on Saturday, divided over how best to address the political impasse caused by the coup in Niger Republic.
While some members advocated actions that would stem military intrusion into governance within the region, others said dialogue and diplomacy were the best ways to solve the crisis.
The positions were taken when the 22 parliamentarians held an extraordinary meeting, virtually, to discuss the Niger Republic impasse.
The members, who were against military action, put forward the fate that could befall the masses if the country was invaded by forces trying to dislodge the coupists.
Ali Djibo from Niger Republic said already no fewer than 9,000 schools have been shut since the crisis, adding that the best solution was dialogue and that military action had never been the best option anywhere in the world.
Djibo said: “War will only compound the economic woes the peoples of the sub-region are already going through.
“As we speak, over a thousand trucks, loaded with goods, are stranded at the border.
“If a coup happened in Nigeria or Cote’d’Iviore tomorrow, where’s the ECOWAS going to mobilise troops to fight the Nigerian or Ivorian military? How many borders are we going to close?
“We must also bear in mind that if we’re applying the ECOWAS treaty, it should be applicable to all.”
For Awaji-Inombek Abiante, ECOWAS must pay keen attention and treat the root causes of coup among its members.
He said diplomacy must be used to resolve the problem.
Members of the ECOWAS Parliament rooting for military solution to the Niger Republic matter argued that dialogue and diplomacy had not tamed the spread of coup in West Africa.
One of them was Linda Ikpeazu, who said because there were no consequences in the past, especially in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, hence the Niger Republic situation.
She stressed that with the current situation in the sub-region, nobody knows which country will be the next.
Adebayo Balogun, in his contribution, said ECOWAS Heads of States were not proposing a full scale war, but a military action to dislodge the junta.
He recalled that Niger was a signatory to ECOWAS’ revised protocol on non-military intervention.
Also, Bashir Dawodu said he believed that while dialogue is being pursued, the body should be open to military option to put pressure on the coupists.
Meanwhile, he pointed out that those banking on Russia to defend the junta should know that Russia alone cannot do it.
Two others, who spoke against military invasion of Niger Republic were Idris Wase and Ali Ndume.
Wase, the first Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of ECOWAS, berated President Bola Tinubu, the ECOWAS Chairman.
He accused the President of unilaterally closing the Nigerian-Niger border and cutting electricity without the approval of the Nigerian National Assembly.
Wase added: “When the Russia-Ukraine war started, people thought it was to be a sharp war.
“A year after, the war is still lingering on with the attendant economic squander and wanton destruction of lives and properties.
“The sub-regional military chiefs know what they stand to benefit economically, that’s why they’re eager to militarily intervene in Niger. Most of them are corrupt.
“Any war on Niger will have adverse effects on 60% of Nigeria, especially Northern Nigeria.”
On his part, Senator Ndume said: “We are the representatives of the people. Whatever action that must be taken should be dependent on what our people want.
“The ECOWAS Chairman, President Tinubu, wrote the Nigerian Senate on the planned military intervention in Niger and the Red Chamber vehemently opposed the use of force. They prefer, instead, dialogue should be adopted in resolving the impasse.
“President Tinubu has no right to close the Niger-Nigeria border, cut electricity without the approval of the Nigerian National Assembly.
“It is not the Niger junta that are suffering the sanctions, rather it is innocent people.”
The Tide source reports that the committee, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, is making moves to reclaim the Wadata Plaza headquarters months after it was sealed following a violent clash between rival factions of the party.
Senior officers at the FCT Police Command told our source that while they had not received an official briefing, police personnel would be stationed at the secretariat and other key locations to maintain peace.
The Acting National Secretary of the Mohammed-led committee, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, announced last week that the secretariat would reopen for official activities on Monday (today).
He dismissed claims that ongoing litigation would prevent the reopening, saying, “There are no legal barriers preventing the caretaker committee from resuming work at the party’s headquarters.”
However, the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) has fiercely rejected the reopening move, insisting that Sen. Anyanwu and his group remain expelled from the PDP and have no authority to act on its behalf.
Speaking with The Tide source, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, declared: “They are living in fool’s paradise. The worst form of deceit is self-deceit, where the person knows he is deceiving himself yet continues with gusto.
“Even INEC, which they claim has recognised them, has denied them. They are indulging in a roller coaster of self-deceit.”
Mr Ememobong further revealed that letters had been sent to both the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police, stressing that the matter was still in court and warning against any attempt to “resort to self-help.”
“The case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members. They cannot resort to self-help until judgment is delivered,” he said.
He warned that reopening the secretariat would amount to contempt of court.
A senior officer at the FCT Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that officers would be deployed to the area to avert a repeat of the November 19 violence that led to the secretariat’s initial closure.
“The command would not stand by and allow a breakdown of peace and order by the party or anyone else. Definitely, the police will have to be on the ground,” he said.
Another officer added, “There will definitely be men present at the secretariat, but I can’t say the number of police officers that would be deployed.”
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said she had not been briefed on the planned reopening and declined to comment on whether officers would be deployed.
Asked to confirm whether the secretariat was initially sealed by police, she responded, “Yes,” but refused to say more about the current deployment plans.
The Kano State House of Assembly has debunked the purported impeachment plan against the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo.
The Tide source recalls that the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, recently sparked controversy during an interview session with a local radio station.
Mr Waiya called on the deputy governor to resign for failing to follow his principal, Gov. Abba Yusuf, in defecting from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the spokesperson to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kamaluddeen Shawai, while addressing journalists in Kano on Saturday, described reports circulating in some media outlets about Mr Gwarzo’s impeachment as baseless and misleading, emphasising that no such plan is underway.
Mr Shawai further stated that the House remains focused on its legislative duties and oversight functions rather than engaging in speculative political manoeuvres.
The spokesperson urged members of the public and the media to verify information before sharing it, stressing the importance of accurate reporting in maintaining political stability in the state.
He said, “There is absolutely no motion or initiative within the House to remove the deputy governor.
“These reports are false and should be disregarded by the public. The deputy governor continues to serve in his capacity with full support from the House.
“Our priority is good governance and serving the people of Kano, not circulating rumours.”
She made the declaration during an interview with Nigerian football legend, Mr Segun Odegbami, during a live radio interview on Saturday.
Prof. Obasanjo, who is also former commissioner in the state, ruled out a return to the Senate, stating that her focus was firmly on the governorship race.
“So, moving ahead, I’m not going to be Commissioner. Like I said, I’m not even going back to the same party because I think that’s old and I don’t see the use of it. And I’m not going to go back to the Senate,” she said.
“Like the Americans would say, there’s no need. And this is what I told my associates, when this all started. I said, the only thing I’ll come back to do is the governorship.
“And we have started that journey. We are going to see it through. And so that’s the journey I’m on. And we are very serious about it. I mean we are very dedicated to it.”
The politician also confirmed that she recently joined the APC, explaining that her return to active politics followed persistent calls from supporters.
“Like I told you, a group of people who I did not bring together, have been working, I think, for two years now. And then they started talking to me about a year ago, saying, ‘Look, we think you are the best candidate. We want you back,’” she added.
Her declaration sets the stage for what may become a keenly contested governorship race in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections.
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