President Bola Tinubu on Friday sent a correspondence to the senate to notify it of the resolution of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore Democracy in Niger and reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
President Tinubu who is the Chairman of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in the letter read to senators by President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio condemned the coup in neighboring Republic of Niger.
He informed the senator that ECOWAS has “resolved to seek the return of the democratically elected government and restoration of peace in the landlocked country.
According to President Tinubu, ECOWAS under his watch has agreed to close and monitor all land borders with Niger Republic and to reactivate the border drilling exercise.
ECOWAS at its meeting on Sunday also reached a resolution to cut off electricity supply to Niger Republic, mobilize international support for the implementation of the provisions of the ECOWAS communique.
The sub-regional body also agreed to ban commercial and special flights into and from Niger Republic, block goods in transit to Niger especially from Lagos and eastern seaports.
ECOWAS also took a decision to embark on sensitization of Nigerians and Nigeriens on the imperative of these actions particularly via social media.
The most striking of ECOWAS resolutions is the decision to begin military build up and deployment of personnel for military intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger should they remain recalcitrant.
Other issues also raised at the meeting include “blockade of goods in transit to Niger especially from Lagos and eastern seaports; embarking on sensitization of Nigerians and Nigerians on the imperative of these actions particularly via social media; and military build up and deployment of personnel for military intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger should they remain recalcitrant”.
But shortly after the letter was read, a former deputy Senate majority leader, Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi State), raised a constitutional point of order to draw the attention of the Senate to the provisions of the Senate on how the armed forces could be deployed on a combat duty outside Nigeria.
He said his point of order was aimed at guiding the Senate on the matter.
Ningi read section 5(5) of the Constitution which states that “Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (4) of this section, the President, in consultation with the National Defence Council, may deploy members of the armed forces of the Federation on a limited combat duty outside Nigeria if he is satisfied that the national security is under imminent threat or danger provided that the President shall, within seven days of actual combat engagement, seek the consent of the Senate and the Senate shall thereafter give or refuse the said consent within 14 days.”
He said though the President has the powers to direct military action in Niger it must be in line with certain steps and provisions of the law which the President is yet to initiate for necessary approval from the senate.
ECOWAS issued the military junta in Niger a 7 day ultimatum which had now elapsed to restore President Mohamed Bazoum.