5th August, 2023
The Senate said on Saturday that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not asked it for permission to deploy Nigerian troops against the coup plotters in Niger Republic, contrary to reports in the media.
The Senate said this after a closed door session in which members deliberated on President Tinubu’s letter on the resolutions of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the coup in Niger Republic on Friday.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, read the resolutions of the Senate on the letter on Saturday just before the lawmakers began screening of Tinubu’s ministerial nominees.
In the resolution, the Senate condemned the overthrow of democratically elected government by the military junta in Niger Republic.
However, the lawmakers urged ECOWAS leaders to adopt political and diplomatic options and other means to resolve the political impasse caused by the overthrow of the democratically elected President in Niger Republic.
They also agreed that the leadership of the Senate should engage with the President on how best to resolve the issues related to the coup in view of the hitherto existing cordial relationships between Nigeriens and Nigerians.
The Nigerian Senate also asked the ECOWAS Parliament to condemn the coup and also proffer possible solutions to resolving the impasse as soon as possible
The resolution reads: “On the resolution of ECOWAS on the political situation in Niger Republic resolves as follows:
“The Senate condemns in totality the military coup that took place recently in the Republic of Niger.
“The Senate commends President Bola Tinubu and other Heads of States and Governments of ECOWAS for their prompt response to the positions taken on the unfortunate development in Nigeria
“The Senate recognises the fact that President Tinubu, by virtue of his correspondence had not asked for the approval of the parliament or the approval of this Senate to go to war as being erroneously suggested in some quarters.
“Rather, Mr President as the Commander-in-Chief had expressed a wish to respectively solicit the support of the National Assembly in the successful implementation of ECOWAS resolutions 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 the political and diplomatic options and other means with a view to resolving the political impasse in Niger Republic.
“The National Assembly to the ECOWAS leadership under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to 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 Comander-in-Chief on behalf of the Senate and the National Assembly on how best to resolve the issues in view of the hitherto existing cordial relationships 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.”