Using Force In Niger Republic Has Negative Effect On Nigeria – PDP Chieftain, Olafeso

By Ayodele Oni

As forces of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) wait for an order to invade Niger Republic, the erstwhile National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in South West, Chief Eddy Olafeso has called for caution as Nigeria will definitely feel the impact of the war.

Olafeso has, therefore, asked President Bola Tinubu to use diplomacy in addressing the coup d’etat in the Niger Republic.

The PDP chieftain,who spoke in Akure, the Ondo state capital, at the weekend,  said any attempt to use force to restore democracy in Niger Republic is like inviting war into Nigeria.

“A Nigerian President, who has a foreign relationship, will know for sure that a war against Niger Republic is war against Nigeria.

“With about 1,200 kilometres of our boundaries across seven states of the North; from Sokoto, Zamfara, Yobe, Maiduguri, and Borno are all with the Niger people, so, we must as a matter of fact, make sure that we utilize diplomacy in dealing with this.”

Mr Olafeso’s advice for Mr Tinubu came after ECOWAS placed sanctions, cut power supply and suspended all financial aid to Niger  as well as ban on commercial flights to and from the country following the seizure of power by the military.

On July 26, the military led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani overthrow the democratic government of President Mohamed Bazoum and subsequently detained his guards.

Mr Tchiani had said the sanctions imposed in the country were aimed at putting pressure on the rebels and not finding a solution to the current situation at hand.

A delegation led by former military ruler in the country, Gen Abdulsslam Abubakar was till Saturday in Niger for dialogue and seek possible wats of restoring democracy without war.

Leaders of the junta in that country had however ruled out early return to democracy as they announced three years military rule.

Faulting the action being taken by the ECOWAS, Olafeso reminded President Tinubu that the relationship between Nigeria and Niger Republic was beyond the presidency.

He explained that Nigeria and Niger Republic share a “very historical relationship” that must be recognized before any decision is being taken, noting that about 55 per cent of the Niger people are Kanuris, Hausas and Fulanis.

According to him, the Nigerian leader continued to prove that he has overbearing on other African nations when the country is extremely deep in abject poverty with the unstable policies of foreign exchange.

“Then, how can you be strong abroad when your foreign policies have left your country in extreme poverty. It is dangerous for APC to even contemplate going abroad to come and sort out things when Nigeria is yet to be sorted out.

“This is not the right time for war; it is the right time for diplomacy and the right time to listen to the people of Niger Republic, so that we don’t make mistakes.”

While stressing that the people of Niger Republic know their own history far better than any nation, Mr Olafeso advised the Nigeria leaders to be more careful of who to support in the ongoing coup in Niger.

“These are some of the things we have to be careful about. Our country is in dire need, we do not have resources that we are going to spend anywhere to defend something indefensible.

“The history of the people is not the history of their rulers, if their rulers are supporting the colonialists, especially France, in taking away what belongs to Niger Republic to France and people are kicking against it, we must be careful of who we support, are we fighting EU and France or the West, or are we fighting for the Nigerians in Niger Republic.

“The other groups are the distinctively in control of the government for a long time and most of the time, it is when the majority are in power that the military will come and interrupt and we begin to see an imposition that appears like a minority rule over the majority as we see in the circumstance in the Niger Republic.”