Senate rejects President Tinubu’s request to deploy troops to Niger

Story from Christine TOBECHUKWUA

The Nigerian Senate has asked ECOWAS to strengthen political and diplomatic options and seek other means to resolve the political impasse in Niger Republic.

The Senate held a closed-door session that lasted close to two hours to discuss the letter written to the Senate on Friday 4th August,2023 by President Bola Tinubu on the decisions taken by the regional body.

READ ALSO: Tinubu notifies Senate of plans to deploy troops to Niger Republic

The Senate while condemning the Niger coup in totality, commended the chairman, President Bola Tinubu and other Heads of State of the other States of ECOWAS for their prompt response and the positions taken on the unfortunate development in Niger Republic.

However,the Senate has asked the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS and other leaders of the region to tread softly in addressing the political quagmire in Niger Republic.

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, reading the resolutions of the senators after the meeting, said that

“the Senate recognises that President Tinubu via his correspondence has not asked for the approval of the parliament of this Senate to go to war as erroneously suggested in some quarters.

“Rather Mr President has expressed a wish to respectfully solicit the support of the National Assembly in the successful implementation of the resolutions of the ECOWAS as outlined in the said communication.

“The Senate calls on the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the chairman of ECOWAS to further encourage other leaders of ECOWAS to strengthen political and diplomatic options and other means intending to resolve the political impasse in Niger Republic.

“The National Assembly to the ECOWAS under the leadership of President Tinubu in resolving the political situation in Niger and returning the country to democratic governance in the nearest futur

“The leadership of the Senate is mandated to further engage with the president and commander in chief with on behalf of the Senate and the entire National Assembly on how best to resolve the issue given the hitherto existing cordial relationship between Nigeriens and Nigerians.

“Finally, the Senate calls on the ECOWAS parliament to rise to the occasion by equally condemning this coup and also positing solutions to resolving this impasse as soon as possible.”

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