Atiku
Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic party in the 2023 general election has urged the federal government to explore dialogue in resolving the tension that the military intervention in the Republic of Niger has created across the West Africa region.
He said that the putsch is even more worrisome because the number of states that have witnessed military intervention in the last three years in the region is increasing.
“Of course, the world expects Nigeria to take up leadership in ensuring that the crisis of political leadership in the Republic of Niger is not just curtailed but also ensuring the restoration of democratic governance in that country,” he said on Wednesday, adding that,
“While the expectations that fall on Nigeria as the regional leader is not a quick fix, it must be expressed that the role taken so far by the Economic Community of West African States has been commendable.
“As the ECOWAS continues to work towards reinstating democracy in the Republic of Niger, it must be reinforced that the regional body should not travel the road of military hostilities that may exacerbate the status quo.
“The crisis in the Republic of Niger requires diplomatic engagements, and that must mean that the channels for dialogue should be well sustained.”
According to him, while the world expects Nigeria to take a leading role in this process of peaceful conflict resolution, it must be clear to the military insurrectionists in the Republic of Niger that the world cannot afford to wait for too long before this crisis is resolved reasonably.
“This is undoubtedly a challenging time for the West African region. However, any actions taken towards the prompt resolution of the crisis in the Republic of Niger must prioritize democracy as the ultimate victor,” he concluded.
