Ajuri Ngelale, President Bola Tinubu’s special adviser on media and publicity, has stated that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is committed to restoring democratic rule in Niger Republic.
Ngelale made this assertion during an interview with Al Jazeera on Tuesday evening, in response to concerns about Niger’s junta not complying with the ECOWAS deadline.
ECOWAS had issued a warning of potential military action if the junta failed to meet the deadline, which lapsed on Sunday.
Ngelale emphasized that discussions about ECOWAS’ capacity to reinstate stability in Niger are primarily speculative.
He highlighted that the additional sanctions imposed by the bloc on the landlocked West African nation demonstrate ECOWAS’ dedication to pursuing diplomatic avenues before considering the use of force as a last resort.
As the ECOWAS chairperson, Tinubu had previously urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to impose financial penalties on individuals and entities suspected of supporting the military junta in the Francophone country.
He said,
“Let us be clear, there has been a firm ultimatum that was based on a mandate that has been backed by ECOWAS protocols which have been in place for years and the ECOWAS member heads of state will not back down from upholding the protocols as agreed by all member states,” Ngelale said.
“We will be fully committed as we have been throughout this process to upholding the ECOWAS protocols with respect to how the ECOWAS member states will handle the illegitimate overthrow of constitutional order in any of the ECOWAS member states.
“We are determined to ensure that civilian democratic governance is sustained on the continent for the prosperity, security, and development of the countries on our beloved continent.
“ECOWAS is not taking the kind of simplistic approach that some international media have chosen to take which is that ‘either you must go in or you’re not serious or you stay out and you’re not serious,’ we do not accept that simple narrative.
“What we are saying is that we have multiple levers on which we can leverage to achieve the end that we are seeking to achieve which is to uphold the ECOWAS protocols by ensuring that there is a return of civilian democratic rule under the leadership of President Bazoum as duly elected by the people of Niger Republic.
“Now, whether that happens today or next week or next month we will see, but we are determined to leverage on all elements of our power regionally to ensure that happens and that is not limited only to military intervention.
“Although military intervention has not and will not be taken off the table.”
ECOWAS is expected to meet on Thursday to draw up a plan on how it will proceed.