President Bola Tinubu said on Thursday that the Niger military junta has nine months to restore civilian governance after seizing power from President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023.
Tinubu made the remarks in the State House at a meeting with the Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, which was led by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.
Tinubu, who is also the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), stated that if Nigeria was able to effectively return to democracy in 1999 thanks to General Abdulsalami Abubakar’s nine-month program, there was no reason why Niger coup leaders couldn’t do the same.
According to his spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, the ECOWAS chief stated that sanctions imposed on Niger Republic will not be lifted unless the military junta makes “positive adjustments.”
Since the coup in Niger, ECOWAS has put a series of sanctions on the country, threatening military intervention if diplomacy fails to restore civilian government.
The Niger junta has stated that a three-year transition time is required to restore constitutional order in the country, which ECOWAS has rejected.
With the coup in Gabon on Wednesday, Tinubu said his fears that other nations will follow Niger’s example were verified.
“I must thank you for your several visits to Niger Republic, Your Eminence, but you will still have to go back. My fear has been confirmed in Gabon that copy cats will start doing the same thing until it is stopped.
“We are neighbours with Niger Republic, and what has joined Nigerians together with their great people cannot be broken. Nobody is interested in a war.
“We have seen the devastation in Ukraine and Sudan. But, if we don’t wield the big stick, we will all suffer the consequences together,” the President warned.
