ECOWAS Rejects Niger’s Junta Three Year Transition Programme

The West African Regional grouping, Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), has dismissed as a negotiating tactic the announcement by Niger’s coup leader that civilian rule cannot be restored for three years.

The organisation’s political commissioner, Abdel-Fatau Musa, said the timetable was unacceptable.

On Saturday, General Abdourahamane Tchiani said a national dialogue was needed to lay the foundations for a new political order in Niger.

ECOWAS has threatened military action to restore the ousted president.

Crowds have again rallied in the capital, Niamey, in support of the coup.

But correspondents say others opposed to the military takeover are afraid to public express their views.

Read Also:

Drone Attack Hits Building Close To Kremlin in Moscow

“What dramatic change do you need in the governance architecture of the country to require three years to experiment with something else? This is like subterfuge to throw ECOWAS off-course and then do whatever they want,” he said.

“In some other countries under the military regime in West Africa, they had about three years, and already they are ‘negotiating’ with their population to have another 18 months. Even a democratically elected president in Nigeria has only four years to run.

“So, what legitimacy do they have to already begin with three years? And we know it is not going to end there.”