ASHENEWS reports that the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, has approved the deployment of 15 Long-term Election Observers (LTOs) to monitor key stages in the electoral process leading up to the country’s general elections on 10th October 2023.
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The Niger Republic’s prime minister, Ali Zeine says said he saw hopes of a deal with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has threatened to use force to restore civilian rule after a coup in July.
The coup in Gabon this week is most unlikely to be a regime change. Gen Brice Nguema, the head of the junta is a relation of the Bongo family and started his career as body guard to Omar Bongo, the father of the deposed President who had ruled for 42 years. The coup occurred minutes after President Ali Bongo had been declared winner of a rigged election. He had been incapacitated since he suffered from a stroke in 2019 and the optics of a president without the capacity to govern has been an issue since his stroke. The symbolism of someone who is incapable of exercising power rigging election after election posed the question of how much longer can the charade last. When there was an attempted coup in January 2019, the army responded immediately rounding up the culprits. As everyone knows, Gabon is too precious for France to allow regime change. In the coming days, it will become clearer who allowed this coup to succeed.
President Bola Tinubu has expressed concern over the recent coup d’état in Gabon, saying he is watching closely while consulting with member states of the African Union.
ASHENEWS reports that the Center for Peace Studies of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), has called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to lift all sanctions imposed on Niger Republic.
ASHENEWS reports that Nigeria’s former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has given reasons why there could be more coups in French-speaking West and Central African countries in the near future.
Is ECOWAS ready to go to war with our closest ally (Niger Republic) to protect “democracy”? Is ECOWAS prepared to face the armed forces of Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic backed and trained by Russia’s Wagner? The military governments in Mali and Burkina Faso warned of an armed intervention in Niger and will counter with force. Guinea also sided with the putschist leaders. Can we ignore the angle of widespread arms in the region in the hands of miscreants, which the war will promote? We know that in many parts of West Africa, armed groups are swarming like ants on sugar, pulled by a mixture of weak states, bleak economic prospects, burgeoning populations, a punishing climate, and bad and irresponsible governance. Can we worsen the situation by igniting a disastrous war in the region? After Niger, Nigeria may be the primary target for destruction, and then Ghana and other countries. No, it is not worth maintaining the kind of liberal democracy we have in place. Based on living conditions, social amenities, and corruption, some people cannot distinguish between liberal democracy and military dictatorship. The lack of difference between the two types of governance is why ECOWAS is losing the support of its citizenry to take military action against the Junta in Niger. Nigerians unite against military action in Niger due to its tremendous regional catastrophe. Despite the ECOWAS resolution backed by the AU and the UN, many Nigerians oppose military intervention in the neighboring country. The Islamic clerics who met with Mr. Tinubu, last week volunteered to mediate in the crisis due to their opposition to war and the close ethnic and religious ties between Nigeria and Niger.
ASHENEWS reports that contrary to reports that the Nigerien military junta on Friday, asked the French Ambassador, Sylvain ITTE, the junta actually ordered the Nigerian Ambassador to the country, Mohammed Usman, to leave within 48 hours.
“If we weren’t engaged, with the Sereral operations then Barkhane, there wouldn’t be, without a doubt, more Mali, more Burkina Faso, I’m not even sure there would still be Niger dixit Manu,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview to the weekly Le Point.
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to use diplomatic means in dealing with the military junta in Niger Republic.