Ahead of the ECOWAS Extraordinary meeting on Thursday in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu In his capacity as the Chairman of the sub-regional body has ordered additional financial sanctions through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on entities and individuals related to or involved with the military junta in Niger Republic.
Briefing State House correspondents Tuesday on the President’s position after the Expiration of the seven day Ultimatum, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Ajuri Ngelale said the action is not being taken by an individual President or on behalf of a single nation, Rather, it is being taken by the ECOWAS chairman, who is also the President of Nigeria, based on the consensus resolution of all ECOWAS members and heads of state.
He added that these financial sanctions have been agreed upon by all ECOWAS Member States in response to the military junta in Niger Republic.
Previously, the regional bloc had given the Niger Republic junta seven days to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum, warning of potential sanctions, including the possibility of military intervention.
However, the coup leaders dismissed the threats and declared their intention to resist any foreign interference.
The coupists have cut off diplomatic ties with Nigeria, Togo, France, and the United States. They have also closed Nigerien airspace indefinitely.
Ajuri said: “The news that Mr. President has directed the acting CBN governor to levy another slate of sanctions against entities and individuals associated with the military junta in Niger public.
“I said that intentionally I didn’t make a mistake, because I was given permission to make that statement and I emphasized that this is not an individual action taken by an individual President on behalf of individual nation.
“This is an action taken yes, by ECOWAS chairman who is the president of Nigeria, but standing on the authority provided by the consensus resolution of all ECOWAS members and heads of state with regard to financial sanctions being levied by ECOWAS Member States against the military junta in Niger Republic.
“There is an authority that we are standing on. It is not Nigerian government authority, it is the authority of the resolution passed in public before now.”
Ngelale also explained that the actions against Niger being coordinated by President Tinubu are not personal as they are under the auspices of the ECOWAS where he is the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.
He said: “Concerning the ultimatum given to the military Junta in Niger Republic, the ECOWAS mandate, and ultimatum is not a Nigerian ultimatum. It is not a Nigerian mandate.
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“And the office of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also serving as the chairman of ECOWAS, seeks to emphasize this point, that due to certain domestic and international media coverage, tending toward a personalization of the ECOWAS sub-regional position to his person and to our nation individually.
“It is because of this that Mr. President has deemed it necessary to state unequivocally that the mandate and ultimatum by issued ECOWAS is that of ECOWAS’ position.
“While His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assumed the ECOWAS chairmanship, the position of ECOWAS conveys the consensus position of member heads of state. And a coup will not occur in one’s backyard, without one be particularly aware of it.
“The president in recent days, particularly following the expiration of the ultimatum given by ECOWAS has widened consultations internationally but most especially domestically, including interfaces with state governors in Nigeria, who govern states bordering Niger public on the various fallouts and outcomes of the unfortunate situation that has unfolded in Niger Republic.
“But President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wishes to emphasize to this distinguished audience that the response of ECOWAS to the military coup in Niger has been and will remain devoid of ethnic and religious sentiments and considerations.
“The regional bloc is made up of all sub-regional ethnic groups, religious groups, and all other forms of human diversity. And the response of ECOWAS, therefore, represents all of these groups, and not any of these groups individually.”
He says the extraordinary summit of ECOWAS on Thursday will result in significant decisions regarding the situation in Niger Republic.
(Editor : Ena Agbanoma)
