Leading the ECOWAS delegation to the Niger Republic, retired general Abdulsalami Abubakar expressed hope for a peaceful conclusion to the recent coup and stressed the importance of discussion over violence.
After meetings in the Presidential Villa, which were presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the current ECOWAS Chairman, Abubakar briefed reporters in Abuja on Tuesday.
Dr. Omar Touray, the president of the ECOWAS Commission, and Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser, also attended the meeting.
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Abubakar reported that he had conveyed the demands of the Abdouramane Tchiani-led military regime to ECOWAS after his discussions with Mohamed Bazoum, the deposed president of Niger, and the junta’s leaders. This marked the start of communication between the regional body and Niger’s military.
He expressed the hope that something substantial would soon result from the line of communication that ECOWAS had established through his appointment as the ambassador, saying that it had been quite beneficial.
Abubakar said, “As you are aware, the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have made me an envoy to Niger Republic and we were there over the weekend to see the military people and discussed to find a way out of the lacuna we find ourselves.
“So, that’s why I’m here this afternoon, together with the President of the ECOWAS Commission, to give a report back to Mr. President on our discussions in Niger. I must say that our visit to Niger has been very fruitful and that it has opened an avenue to start talking and hopefully, we’ll get somewhere.”
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Abubakar, speaking on the differences in the opinions of ECOWAS and the Niger coup leaders about a quick return to democratic rule, said, “Well, like I said, we’ve started talking, they have made their own points and then I made my report to the Chairman of the ECOWAS Heads of state and President. He will now consult with his colleagues and then we’ll get somewhere hopefully.”
Asked if there was any possibility of avoiding military action, he said “Hopefully diplomacy will see the better of this. Nobody wants to go to war, it doesn’t pay anybody, but then again, our leaders have said if all fails and I don’t think all will fail, we’ll get somewhere we’ll get out of this mess”.
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