The Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu have again denounced the coup by military leaders in Niger Republic, insisting that Africa has come of age.
Tinubu made this known when he spoke on Sunday during an Extra-Ordinary Summit in Abuja on the political situation in Niger.
Briefing leaders of the regional bloc, Tinubu registered the displeasure of ECOWAS at the coup d’état in the Niger Republic.
‘Africa has come of age, we reject coup and interruption to constitutional order,’ the Nigerian leader declared amid applause.
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He went on to add that; ‘As African leaders, it is our sheer responsibility to foster stability and progress, placing the wellbeing of our people at the forefront of our endeavours.
‘Working together towards their prosperity and happiness must always constantly be our goal and consistently, we will stand with our people in freedom and our commitment to the rule of law and not the barrel of gun.’
Africa Today News, New York recalls that late Wednesday, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the chief of Niger’s powerful presidential guard took power after a military coup. The action has since been condemned by the United Nations, African Union, the European Union, the United States among other world and regional leaders.
Tchiani, 59, has shunned the limelight despite a stellar military career which saw him lead the elite 700-member unit from 2011 up until now.
On Friday, Tchiani declared himself leader after staging a takeover that began on Wednesday when his presidential guards seized President Mohamed Bazoum and sequestered him in the presidential palace.
Niger is an extremely poor nation but with vast uranium deposits. It has suffered four coups since independence from France in 1960 and several other failed putsch attempts and is currently in the throes of jihadist violence like its neighbours.