By Emmenuel Okwara
President of Nigeria and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Bola Ahmed Tinubu has restated that the ECOWAS Leadership will not accept any action that impedes the smooth functioning of legitimate authority in Niger or any part of West Africa.
Tinubu in a statement he personally signed on Wednesday, hinted that the ECOWAS is closely monitoring the situation and developments in Niger and reaffirmed that the ECOWAS will do everything within its powers to ensure democracy is firmly planted, nurtured, well-rooted and thrives in Africa.
In his words, “Information filtering in from the Republic of Niger indicates some unpleasant developments around the country’s highest political leadership.
“It should be quite clear to all players in the Republic of Niger that the leadership of the ECOWAS Region and all lovers of democracy around the world will not tolerate any situation that incapacitates the democratically-elected government of the country.
“The ECOWAS leadership will not accept any action that impedes the smooth functioning of legitimate authority in Niger or any part of West Africa.
“I wish to say that we are closely monitoring the situation and developments in Niger and we will do everything within our powers to ensure democracy is firmly planted, nurtured, well rooted and thrives in our region.
“I am in close consultation with other leaders in our region, and we shall protect our hard-earned democracy in line with the universally acceptable principle of constitutionalism.
“As the Chairperson of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, I state without equivocation that Nigeria stands firmly with the elected government in Niger and equally conveys the absolute resolve of leaders in our sub-region that we shall not waiver or flinch on our stand to defend and preserve constitutional order.”
