By Ayo Yusuf
Following the expiration of the seven day ultimatum given to the junta that seized power in Niger to restate president Mohamed Bazoum or face forceful ejection, President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday explained that the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS Heads of State and Government was responsible for issuing that ultimatum and not Nigeria.
The President who recently ordered the acting governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to execute a new series of financial sanctions against individuals and entities that relate with the military junta, said he was merely carrying out his mandate as chairman of ECOWAS.
Briefing State House correspondents, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale clarified that the ultimatum by ECOWAS remains the position of the regional body and must not be confused as the position of Nigeria as a country.
He said that in recent days the President has widened his consultations “due to certain domestic and international media coverage, tending towards a personalization of the ECOWAS sub regional position to his person and to our nation individually.”
Mr. Ngelale said it is for this reason that the President deemed it necessary to state unequivocally that the mandate and ultimatum issued by ECOWAS is the ECOWAS’s position.
“While His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assumed the ECOWAS chairmanship, the position of ECOWAS conveys the consensus position of member heads of state. And a coup will not occur in one’s backyard, without one been particularly aware of it.
“The President in recent days, particularly following the expiration of the ultimatum given by ECOWAS has widened consultations internationally but most especially domestically, including interfaces with state governors in Nigeria, who govern states bordering Niger public on the various fallouts and outcomes of the unfortunate situation that has unfolded in Niger Republic.
“But President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wishes to emphasize to this distinguished audience that the response of ECOWAS to the military coup in Niger has been and will remain devoid of ethnic and religious sentiments and considerations.
“The regional bloc is made up of all sub regional ethnic groups, religious groups, and all other forms of human diversity. And the response of ECOWAS, therefore, represent all of these groups, and not any of these groups individually.
“While no options have been taken off of the table of people as we do draw the attention of this audience to the upcoming Ico loss, extraordinary Summit, which will be holding in Abuja on Thursday, August 10. It is therefore expected that at the extraordinary Summit, far reaching decisions will be taken concerning the next steps of the regional bloc according to developments as they unfold,” he said.
It would be recalled that following the ultimatum amd the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS, the military junta in Niger Republic had rather than submit to the conditions decided to cut off ties with Nigeria, France, and other countries.
