Coup: Senate rejects Pres. Tinubu’s request to deploy troops to Niger Republic

The Senate has rejected an option of military operations in Nigeria’s neighbouring Niger Republic, however, calling on the Economic  Community of  West  African States (ECOWAS) Parliament and other leaders to condemn the coup d’etat in the country.

Rising from a closed-door session that lasted close to two hours to discuss the letter written to the Senate on Friday, August 4, 2023, by President  Bola  Tinubu on the decisions taken by the regional body, the Senate asked ECOWAS to strengthen political and diplomatic options and other means to resolve the political compass in Niger Republic.

Reading the resolutions of the senators after the meeting,  the President of the Senate, Godswill  Akpabio, 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 compass in the 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 future.

The leadership of the Senate is mandated to further engage with the president and commander-in-chief 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 compass as soon as possible.”