By Ayo Yusuf
The recent refusal of the Senate to approve President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s plan to deploy Nigerian troops as part of a multinational force against Niger has not deterred him from pressing on with the original objective of removing the junta by force if necessary, TheNewDiplomat has learned.
Only three days ago the senate in a closed door meeting held to discuss the letter from the president asking permission to invade Niger rejected Mr. Tinubu’s request.
Reading the resolution of the Senate the Senate President senator Godswill Akpabio said senators unanimously rejected the use of force against the junta and rather “calls on the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the chairman of ECOWAS to further encourage other leaders of ECOWAS to strengthen political and diplomatic options and other means intending to resolve the political compass in Niger Republic.”
However, President Tinubu who had earlier resolved that Nigerians need to be better informed of the issues involved so as to get their buy in, played host to governors of States that share boundaries with Niger Republic.
It was gathered that the meeting which held at the State House, Abuja, was part of consultations by the President on the situation in Niger.
The governors in attendance were Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Mai Malam Buni (Yobe), Idris Nasir (Kebbi) and Dr Dikko Radda (Katsina).
The Northern elites have kicked against the planned onslaught against the military junta in Niger, citing the likely consequence of such action on Nigeria from humanitarian crisis to further deteriorating the fragile security in the region.
Tinubu who doubles as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the military junta in Niger Republic to restore democracy by returning power to Mohammed Bazoum.
ECOWAS also placed quite a number of sanctions on Niger which resulted in the closure of borders with the neighboring republic, an indefinite suspension of flight activities and shutting down power supply to the country.
In response the junta dismissed the threats and instead went ahead to break diplomatic relations with Nigeria, United States and France.
It was after this that the president had written the leadership of the National Assembly to approve the deployment of military personnel to the troubled region.
