President Tinubu To Convene Special ECOWAS Meeting Over Niger Coup On Sunday

Following the coup in Republic of Niger that has upended the constitutional political leadership in the West Africa country, the Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Bola Tinubu will host a special meeting of the regional leaders on Sunday, July 30th in Abuja.

Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President  on special duties, communications and strategy disclosed this in statement on Friday.

President Tinubu as Chairman of ECOWAS, in a statement he personally signed on Wednesday July 26, 2023, condemned the current political situation in the neighbouring country and promised that ECOWAS and the international community would do everything to defend democracy and ensure democratic governance continues to take firm root in the sub-region.

US Vice President Kamala Harris and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in separate telephone calls Thursday evening with President Tinubu affirmed the support of the US and UN for the position taken by ECOWAS and the Nigerian leader to restore constitutional order in Niger.

There was confusion and pandemonium  in Nigerien capital Niamey especially around the presidential Palace where the mutiny soldiers( presidential guards) led by the powerful head of presidential guards Gen. Tchiany still held the president and is discussing with him to resign.

Reports from their national TV and some online media in Niger which have indicated that the attempted coup against president Bazoum was due to negligence of the poor living condition of soldiers as well as the presidential guards from salaries to other welfare services.

The head of  presidential guard Gen.Tchiany has put this complaint to the president several times but no result and according to some sources  president Bazoum wanted to remove Gen.Tchiany as the head of the presidential Palace despite his vast experience manning that position since 2011.

This move by the president has resulted in mutiny but according to the presidential spokesperson it is an attempted coup and not mutiny as claimed by soldiers.

According to some sources, president  Bazoum is safe and he is holding talks with mutiny soldiers until he voluntarily signs a resignation letter.

Recall that the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres had called on all actors involved in the coup attempt in Niger Republic to “exercise restraint and ensure the protection of constitutional order.”

Spokesperson to the UN scribe, Stéphane Dujarric stated this at a press conference in New York.