There is disagreement in the parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) over how to break the political deadlock in Niger Republic.
According to The Nation, some parliament members advocated for dialogue and diplomacy, while others called for actions that would actually slow the rise of military government in the region.
The virtual extraordinary meeting of parliamentarians to discuss the political crisis in Niger Republic was attended by twenty-two lawmakers today.
You may recall that on Thursday, a regional bloc in West Africa issued an order to activate a standby force that could be used against the junta that took power in Niger in July, saying that it wished for a peaceful restoration of democracy but was prepared to use force if necessary.
Military intervention, according to some anti-intervention lawmakers, would only bring misery to the masses.
Members of parliament made the statement during a virtual Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament.
Hon. Idris Wase, the first Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, argued against resorting to force to end the coup in the Niger Republic.
Ali Ndume, a representative for Borno South in Nigeria’s parliamentary delegation to the Economic Community of West African States, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria and ECOWAS Chairman of shutting off power and closing the border between Nigeria and Niger without consulting the Nigerian National Assembly.
Wase warns, “We should be careful not to start what we can’t finish.Many predicted a bloody conflict between Russia and Ukraine when hostilities first broke out. A year later, the war is still going on, wasting resources and destroying homes and businesses without regard for human life.
The military heads in the subregion understand how their actions will affect their bottom line. That’s why they’re so eager to invade Niger with troops. They’re all corrupt to some degree.
Sixty percent of Nigeria, and Northern Nigeria in particular, will suffer as a result of any war in Niger.
Senator Ali Ndume spoke for himself, saying, “We are the representatives of the people. Whatever must be done, it ought to be based on the wishes of our people.
“The ECOWAS chairman, President Tinubu, wrote to the Nigerian Senate about the planned military intervention in Niger, and the Red Chamber vehemently opposed the use of force.”They would rather see dialogue used to break the stalemate.
Without the approval of the Nigerian National Assembly, President Tinubu has no authority to shut down the Niger-Nigeria border or the power grid. Sanctions are being imposed on innocent people and not the Juntas.
The Hon. Ali Djibo of the Niger Republic has stated that at least 9,000 educational institutions have been forced to close.
He argued that talking things out is the best course of action because military intervention has never worked out well anywhere.
DJibo argued that ordinary people would suffer even more as a result of a war.
The economic hardships that the people of the subregion are already experiencing will only worsen if war breaks out.
Over a thousand goods-laden trucks have become stuck at the border as we speak.
Where will the ECOWAS get the troops to fight a Nigerian or Ivorian military coup if it occurs tomorrow? How many will we actually seal off?
Keep in mind that the ECOWAS treaty is meant to be universally applicable.
The Hon. Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante has called on ECOWAS to investigate and address the underlying causes of coups in member states. Diplomacy, he said, is the only way to solve the issue at hand.
But there’s also the view that talking and diplomacy haven’t stopped the spread of the disease in West Africa. The school of thought argued that violators of the ECOWAS Protocol should face repercussions whenever they act inappropriately.
The Hon. Linda Ikpeazu, who advanced this line of reasoning, argued that the current crisis in the Niger Republic was caused by the lack of repercussions for similar actions in the past, in particular military incursions like those in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
She argued that the regional body could no longer stand by and let wrongdoers go free.
She emphasised that nobody knows which country will be next given the rise of coupists in the sub-region.
Linda has stated that she is in favour of anything that can be done to prevent military interference in government.
However, she stated that she does not support sanctions because the ordinary people will be the ones to suffer the most.
In his speech, Hon. Adebayo Balogun enlightened his colleagues on the position of ECOWAS Heads of State, explaining that the proposed military action against the juntas is not a full-scale war. Since Niger is a signatory to the ECOWAS revised protocol on non military intervention, he emphasised that the ECOWAS heads are not discussing declaring war on Niger but rather intervening to dislodge the coupists from power.
In addition, according to Hon. Bashir Dawodu, the military option should be kept open so that it can be used as a heat source while dialogue is being pursued.
He also warned those who are counting on Russian backing to defend the juntas that Moscow cannot act alone. He emphasised the need for military intervention alongside ongoing diplomacy and talks.
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