President Tinubu Rejects Direct Talks with Niger Coup Leaders, Citing Concerns for Democracy

In the ongoing efforts to address the crisis in Niger, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria has unequivocally turned down overtures from General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the leader of the military junta in Niger, for direct discussions. Empowered Newswire reports this rejection as a significant development in the diplomatic landscape.

Diplomatic sources indicate that President Tinubu’s refusal to engage in one-on-one talks with General Tchiani is seen as a stance against undermining democratic governance in the region and as a mark of respect for the still-detained Nigerien President, Mohamed Bazoum.

Sources close to Niger’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York have confirmed that President Tinubu was approached by a group of Muslim Ulamas who conveyed General Tchiani’s request for direct interaction. This request was made approximately one month after the coup in Niger.

During the meeting in Abuja on August 24, President Tinubu categorically dismissed the possibility of engaging with the leader of an illegal government that came to power through a military coup, toppling a democratically elected administration in Niger.

Nigerian government sources have corroborated President Tinubu’s position, emphasizing that such an interaction would illegitimately validate a coupist government not recognized by ECOWAS. They assert that it would send an adverse signal regarding democratic governance in Africa.

While some in the African diplomatic community view President Tinubu’s rejection of direct talks as problematic, the impasse over the Niger crisis persists. Diplomats stress the importance of a united front among President Tinubu and other ECOWAS leaders in dealing with the military takeover.

Nigerian diplomats in New York also raise concerns about sending envoys who previously benefited from military rule in Nigeria to engage with the Nigerien coupists, considering it a conflicting signal. However, the Niger military junta eventually interacted with these envoys.

Notably, former Nigerian head of state General Abdusalami Abubakar and the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Sa’ad Muhammad Abubakar, had visited Niger to explore possible resolutions before the Ulamas discussed the matter with President Tinubu.

Observers believe that Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s successful meeting with the coup leaders was facilitated by his position as the Khalifa of the Tijaniyya Islamic sect, which has a significant following in Niger.

ECOWAS had appointed Nigeria’s former military head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar, to lead a mediation delegation to Niger, accompanied by the influential Sultan of Sokoto.

During the meeting with the Ulamas, President Tinubu emphasized the importance of holding the military junta accountable for jeopardizing the people of Niger Republic, urging a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

President Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to peaceful diplomacy and pledged to engage with all stakeholders to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Niger Republic. He indicated that he was managing a precarious situation and was cautious about swift military intervention from external parties.