LAGOS- A former Chairman of the Progressives Congress (APC) in South Africa, Mr Bola Babarinde, has urged President Bola Tinubu to pursue peace and avoid going into war with the Niger military junta.
Tinubu-led Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) had directed the closure of land and air borders by member states against the Niger Republic over a military coup that removed democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, from office.
Babarinde in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Monday in Lagos, advised Tinubu to resist any pressure to seek military intervention on the Niger military junta.
He said: “Helping Niger republic to find lasting peaceful solutions to the current impasse should not be by force of military intervention; negotiation between the military junta and the ousted President should be based on respect for both parties involved without taking sides.
“The main course of the coup should be sincerely discussed and advise given.
“Military threat to restore civil rule in Niger will be catastrophic for Nigeria in many ways; extra spending on military resources while we have our own unresolved internal insurgencies in South East and Northern part of the country.
“The impacts of inflow of potential refugees will be a big burden on Nigeria.
“If the military concerns about the leadership of the ousted President are genuine and patriotic, the mediators should use wisdom and tact in deploying diplomacy for peaceful settlement even if the junta will be given time to conduct fresh election within the next one year.”
The former APC diaspora chairman said the landlocked French speaking country sharing expansive boundary and border with northern Nigeria, has numerous leadership and governance challenges.
Babarinde said: “Change in administrations haven’t brought the needed development to the country as mismanagement by political leaders and poverty in that country including exploitation of their mineral resources.” (NAN)
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Niger: Pursue peace not war, Ex-APC diaspora chairman tells Tinubu
Niger
By Adeyemi Adeleye
Lagos, Aug. 7, 2023 (NAN) A former Chairman of the Progressives Congress (APC) in South Africa, Mr Bola Babarinde, has urged President Bola Tinubu to pursue peace and avoid going into war with the Niger military junta.
Tinubu-led Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) had directed the closure of land and air borders by member states against the Niger Republic over a military coup that removed democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, from office.
Babarinde in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Monday in Lagos, advised Tinubu to resist any pressure to seek military intervention on the Niger military junta.
He said: “Helping Niger republic to find lasting peaceful solutions to the current impasse should not be by force of military intervention; negotiation between the military junta and the ousted President should be based on respect for both parties involved without taking sides.
“The main course of the coup should be sincerely discussed and advise given.
“Military threat to restore civil rule in Niger will be catastrophic for Nigeria in many ways; extra spending on military resources while we have our own unresolved internal insurgencies in South East and Northern part of the country.
“The impacts of inflow of potential refugees will be a big burden on Nigeria.
“If the military concerns about the leadership of the ousted President are genuine and patriotic, the mediators should use wisdom and tact in deploying diplomacy for peaceful settlement even if the junta will be given time to conduct fresh election within the next one year.”
The former APC diaspora chairman said the landlocked French speaking country sharing expansive boundary and border with northern Nigeria, has numerous leadership and governance challenges.
Babarinde said: “Change in administrations haven’t brought the needed development to the country as mismanagement by political leaders and poverty in that country including exploitation of their mineral resources.” (NAN)
