The Joint Action Front, JAF has condemned the plan of ECOWAS, led by the Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to launch military intervention in Niger Republic.
JAF in a statement by its Chairperson Dipo Fashina and Secretary Abiodun Aremu also rejected the economic sanctions including power cut and border closures that have been imposed on the country without care.
JAF a body made of coalition of Trade unions, youth organizations, academics, civil liberties and more is calling on trade unions, working people and youths in Nigeria and West Africa to reject the planned war and the economic sanctions with a series of mass actions.
JAF says the working masses and youths should demand, instead of wasting Nigeria’s resources on war against Niger, that the Tinubu government restores subsidy and reverse the petrol price to the old rate of N195 per liter.
The statement is also demanding for adequate funding of public education and reversal of the current hike in school fees.
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It says the payment of decent national minimum wage that matches the rate of inflation must be implemented immediately.
The statement adds that while JAF unequivocally condemns the opportunistic coup in Niger which has nothing to do with the genuine interests of the ordinary citizen of Niger Republic, it holds strongly that it is the responsibility of the people of Republic of Niger to determine their own government, not an external force.
JAF Further throws its support behind any pro-democracy movement in Republic of Niger that calls and fights for the rights of the masses of the country to democratically choose their leaders.
The statement stresses that it holds strongly that it is sheer hypocrisy and an insult on the part of the West African leaders who emerged through fraudulent electoral processes or the manipulation of constitution as it is the case with most ECOWAS leaders to talk about restoring a so-called democratic government in a foreign country.
It argues that the imposition of the economic sanctions is evidence that Nigeria’s President, Tinubu and ECOWAS leaders do not care about the ordinary people of the Republic of Niger, who are the worst hit, as it is already an open secret, which it believed strongly as the planned military intervention is a proxy war to be launched on behalf of the French and US imperialism who are desperate to continue the control and the pillage of the resources of the Republic of Niger.
The JAF statement says it therefore supports the growing mass protests and rejection of French imperialism in Niger and other West African countries but warns against replacing one imperialist master with another as the warm embrace of Putin-led Russia by a section of Nigerien people has indicated.
(Editor : Ena Agbanoma)
