Tinubu, ECOWAS Meet as Niger Coup Leaders declares New Government

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), meeting which will be presided over by President Bola Tinubu, is scheduled to be held in Abuja on Thursday, to discuss the political unrest in the Niger Republic.

The summit’s main focus is on potential responses to the military coup that toppled President Mohamed Bazoum in Niger.

This meeting is coming at the time coup leaders in Niger formed a new government and announced the appointment of 21 persons as ministers.

Two weeks after deposing President Mohamed Bazoum in a coup, according to Gistlover, the coup leaders announced the formation of the new government in a televised broadcast on Wednesday night.

An important decision previously made by ECOWAS was the recommendation of a military intervention in the event that the junta did not reestablish democracy within a seven-day window.

Days following the July 26 coup, the leaders of ECOWAS called for “the immediate release and reinstatement of Mr Bazoum as the legitimate head of the Republic of Niger.”

They firmly stated, “Only official acts of President Bazoum or his duly-mandated officials will be recognised by ECOWAS.”

All of the regional leaders denounced the coup and the unlawful detention of President Bazoum, his family, and government officials.