Coup d'état: Atiku cautions ECOWAS, Tinubu against military intervention in Niger, gives reason

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has urged ECOWAS and its leadership to tread cautiously in approaching the military junta in the Niger Republic following a successful coup last week.

Atiku made this appeal on the heels of the ECOWAS ultimatum and threats to use force and restore civil rule to the Niger Republic.

In a statement made available to Legit.ng on Thursday, August 2, Atiku said:

"The putsch is even more worrisome because the number of states that have witnessed military intervention in the last three years in the subregion is increasing.

"Of course, the world expects Nigeria to take up leadership in ensuring that the crisis of political leadership in the Republic of Niger is not just curtailed but also ensuring the restoration of democratic governance in that country."

Meanwhile, Atiku commended ECOWAS for its role and approach in trying to fix the challenges in the Republic of Niger while urging that military intervention is not the best option available.

He said: "As the ECOWAS continues to work towards reinstating democracy in the Republic of Niger, it must be reinforced that the regional body should not travel the road of military hostilities that may exacerbate the status quo."

Atiku advised that the leadership of ECOWAS should deploy a non-kinetic approach to dialogue with the military junta in the Republic of Niger.

He said: "The crisis in the Republic of Niger requires diplomatic engagements, and that must mean that the channels for dialogue should be well sustained.

"While the world expects Nigeria to take a leading role in this process of peaceful conflict resolution, it must be clear to the military insurrectionists in the Republic of Niger that the world cannot afford to wait for too long before this crisis is resolved reasonably."