JUST IN ! Niger Coup: Senate Takes Stance on Military Intervention, Sends Message to Tinubu

The Nigerian Senate has advised President Bola Tinubu to engage in diplomacy in order to return Niger Republic to democratic rule and restore ousted President, Mohamed Bazoum to power.

The Red Chamber arrived at the decision after a four-hour closed-door session on Saturday to discuss the political development in the West African country.

The resolution of the upper legislative chamber followed an executive communication, which President Tinubu sought for the implementation of the resolution of ECOWAS on the political situation in Niger Republic.

The Red Chamber mandated its leadership to further engage with the President on behalf of the entire Senate to ensure how best to resolve the situation in the neighbouring country.

The lawmakers also called on the President as the Chairman of ECOWAS to further encourage other leaders of the bloc to explore political and diplomatic options and other means with a view to resolving the impasse in Niger.

Reacting to the letter, Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio, said President Tinubu never requested approval for Nigeria to go to war with Niger Republic, stating that there was misrepresentation of the letter in the media.

According to him, President Tinubu only requested approval for the implementation of ECOWAS resolutions in his capacity as the Chairman of ECOWAS.

He said: “By the virtue of the correspondence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Commander-in-Chief, he has not asked for the approval of the parliament or of Senate to go to war as erroneously suggested in some quarters, rather Mr President and Commander-in-Chief had expressed and I quote, in which to respectfully solicited support in the successful implementation of the ECOWAS resolutions in the said communications.

“The leadership of the Senate is mandated to further engage with the President and Commander-in-Chief on behalf of the entire Senate to ensure how best to resolve the crisis.

“The Senate call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Chairman of ECOWAS to further encourage other leaders of ECOWAS to strengthen political and diplomatic options and other means with a view to resolving the impasse.”