By Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
The President Bola Tinubu-led Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been advised to rescind the resolution on the plan to go to war with the coup plotters in Niger republic.
Former chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief Jide Awe who gave the advice in Ado Ekiti in a chat with THISDAY said adopting military intervention may be counter productive.
Awe who is the Special Adviser to the Ekiti state Governor on Political and Inter-party Affairs said tension is building and that ECOWAS must take caution on the resolution to go to war with the country right now.
Rather, the APC chieftain advised that they should employ the instrumentality of diplomacy in resolving the issue in the Niger Republic.
He pointed out that the threat of military action may ignite those behind them who are still covering their face because going deeper into the matter, it may be some western powers who are behind this.
“The Russia and even China may be interested. The country is rich with uranium which I believe is even the cause of these problem, because the commodity is needed in Europe and it is in quantity in Niger Republic. In all caution should be taken”.
“I am not doubting the strength of Nigerian Army, but you don’t just attack in another man’s soil , I know there is going to be some resistance, you go all out for diplomacy which can resolve issues. There is a build up which you and I can’t see and the tension is high.
“The coup plotters have their reasons for staging coup in Niger and when you look at the totality of problems in West Africa, you will know that our problem is not just that of military intervention.
“Talk to the people in the streets of Niger Republic, do they even love the kind of government they have? They were even happy the civilian government in their country was toppled by the coupists, this was so because of inefficiency, corruption and lack of direction for the people on the part of the ousted government.
“So, when coup plotters take power, people will still believe that they come with miracle but that miracle will not happen at the end of the day. But our president must be careful, because at the end the day it is we Nigerians that will suffer. If militarily we go into Niger. See the Russia/Ukraine war, people thought within few weeks that Russia will overrun Ukraine but the war is running to year now, what we are witnessing in Niger may not be the way we are looking at it “.
Speaking on the support the military juntas in Niger are receiving from Burkina Faso, Mali and others, Awe said “It is because, power was also seized in those countries and they have seen their colleagues doing same in Niger”.
On the rejection of president Tinubu’s request for military action in Niger by the National Assembly, Awe said their resistance is reasonable because they know what is behind it . “Not that the president doesn’t know but as a leader, he must take action and part of it is issuance of threat”.
Concerning the face saving actions of the coup plotters, he said
“I learnt that a prime minister has been installed there, which I believe, if things continue like that very soon, they may organize an election and that will solve the problem .
“But for the ousted president to now come back is no longer easy, time has overtaken that , the coupists are also receiving encouragement from their masters, assurances have been given,that was exactly what led to the chosen of the prime minister which I know within a very short time they will come up with a timetable.
“Same scenario had played out virtually all countries in the west African subregion, when the military juntas seize power , they try as much as possible to give palliatives, they cover up faces that very soon, the impasse will be resolved and democracy will be restored. late General Abacha did it, also Babangida , so what is going on in Niger Republic is not new to some of us .
“I also learned that electricity being supply to them by Nigeria has disconnected and this may affect them badly. Fuel subsidy was removed in Nigeria, it was felt nearly in all West African countries, so when Nigeria sneezes, these people catches cold so we should limit ourselves to that”.