The Nigerian Senate has reached a resolution rejecting President Bola Tinubu‘s request to deploy Nigerian troops in Niger Republic to restore democratic rule in that troubled country.
Rather the upper legislative chamber advised Tinubu and the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), which he leads, to explore political solution to the crisis.
The resolution confirms that Senators had taken a decision opposing military action in Niger.
President Tinubu had on Friday sought the approval of the upper chamber to mobilise the Nigerian Army to Niger Republic to combat the Nigerien coupists who overthrew their democratically elected president, Mohammed Bazoum.
In a resolution after deliberating on Tinubu’s request at a closed session Saturday, the Senate supported other steps being taking by Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to reverse the coup but rejected the option of a military action in the poor West African nation.
Akpabio suggested that the President did not seek the approval of the Senate to go to war in Niger Republic but that is incorrect because Tinubu clearly indicated a plan to execute an ECOWAS mandate to deploy troops in Niger should the coupists remain recalcitrant.
“The Senate recognises the fact that the President Tinubu by virtue of the correspondence has not asked for approval of the parliament, approval of this Senate, to go to war as being erroneously suggested in some quarters,” Mr Akpabio said. “Rather Mr President and the Commander-in-Chief had expressed, and I quote: ‘a wish to respectfully solicit the support of the National Assembly in the successful implementation of the ECOWAS resolutions as outlined in the said communications.”
But in his letter to the Senate Friday, President Tinubu had listed the measures ECOWAS and Nigeria planned to take to restore democracy to Niger.
They include “Military build up and deployment of personnel for military intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger should they (coupist) remain recalcitrant.”