NIGER: Our visit has been very fruitful, hopefully we’ll get somewhere — ECOWAS
By Eyo Nsima
Former head of state, Nigeria, Abdulsalami Abubakar, said negotiations toward restoration of democracy in Niger will succeed because everyone needs peace.
Addressing journalists in Abuja after meeting with President Bola Tinubu, chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Abdulsalami, leader of ECOWAS delegation to Niger, said: “I must say that our visit to Niger has been very fruitful and that it has opened an avenue to start talking and hopefully we’ll get somewhere.”
“I must say that our visit to Niger has been very fruitful and that it has opened an avenue to start talking and hopefully we’ll get somewhere.”
He also said: “As you are aware, the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have made me an envoy to Niger Republic and we were there over the weekend to see the military people and discussed to find a way out of the lacuna we find ourselves,” he said.
“So, that’s why I’m here this afternoon, together with the president of the ECOWAS commission, to give a report back to Mr President on our discussions in Niger.
“I must say that our visit to Niger has been very fruitful and that it has opened an avenue to start talking and hopefully we’ll get somewhere.”
Abdulsalami said he has conveyed the position of Niger’s military to President Tinubu, noting, “He will now consult with his colleagues and then the ding-dong starts and we’ll get somewhere hopefully.
“Hopefully, diplomacy will see the better of this. Nobody wants to go to war, it doesn’t pay anybody, but then again, our leaders have said if all fails and I don’t think all will fail, we’ll get somewhere, we’ll get out of this mess.”
