Benin Republic’s President Patrice Talon has visited Nigeria’s Presidential Villa, commonly referred to as Aso Rock, to engage in discussions with President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu about the ongoing upheaval in Niger Republic.
This development follows the recent ECOWAS meeting where President Tinubu expressed his discontent with any form of coup in West Africa. In a concerning turn of events, Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum was reportedly detained by presidential guards, sparking fears of a potential coup.
President Tinubu condemned the situation, saying, “The news coming in from the Republic of Niger indicates some unpleasant developments concerning the country’s highest political leadership. All players in the Republic of Niger must understand that the ECOWAS Region’s leadership and democracy supporters worldwide will not tolerate any situation that undermines the democratically-elected government of the country.”
He further stated, “We will not accept any action that obstructs the smooth operation of legitimate authority in Niger or any part of West Africa. We are closely monitoring the situation and developments in Niger and will do everything within our powers to ensure democracy is firmly established, nurtured, and thriving in our region.”
The Nigerian leader made it clear that he is in close consultation with other leaders in the region and that they will defend and preserve constitutional order. He emphatically stated, “As the Chairperson of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, I declare without equivocation that Nigeria stands firmly with the elected government in Niger and conveys the absolute resolve of leaders in our sub-region. We will not waver or flinch in our commitment to defend and uphold constitutional order.”
At the time of this report, President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic is currently in a meeting with President Tinubu at the Villa, discussing the crisis unfolding in Niger. It is anticipated that they will formulate a possible solution to the situation soon.
