It’s Hitting Hard: Senior Niger Politicians Beg Tinubu To Lift Sanctions

TO

His Excellency Mr. Bola Ahmed TINUBU,
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Current President of the Conference of Heads of States and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – ABUJA, Federal Republic of Nigeria

His Excellency, Mr. President,

Following the military coup in Niger on July 26, 2023, the Conference of the Heads of States and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in an extraordinary session on the issue in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, met on July 30th, 2023.

At the end of its meeting, the Conference of Presidents decided to impose penalties extremely severe and of all orders to our country, to compel the leaders of the coup to restore constitutional order and restore President Mohammad Bazoum back to office.

Due to their immediacy, scope and effects, these sanctions are unprecedented in the history of our Common Organisation and at the level of our continent. In effect, they are from our point of view, unbearable, ineffective and inappropriate and will have unimaginable catastrophic consequences on Niger and especially on its hard-working population, already hard-hit.

On a completely different level, these sanctions cannot be justified under our law and even less in light of international law.

We are even more concerned about the future of our country and its people, in to the extent that these sanctions are accompanied by the threat of military intervention.

This is why, in the face of this imminent increase in the dangers for our country and for the sub-region, we, the signatories of this letter, ask you to lift the sanctions against the people of Niger and to use diplomatic and political means to find peaceful and constructive solutions to this serious crisis that bedevils our Country.

Please accept, Your Excellency Mr. President, the expression of our very high consideration.

This request is signed and counter-signed by the following:

Mahamane Ousmane is Niger’s first democratically elected and fourth President who served from 16 April 1993 until he was deposed in a military coup d’état on 27 January 1996.

He leads the opposition Democratic and Republican Renewal Party.

Amadou Salifou is an ex-President of the Nigerien’s National Assembly from 2014-2016.

Seyni Oumarou is an ex-Nigerien Prime Minister (2007-2009) and served as President of Niger’s National Assembly (2009-2010). He was again elected President of the National Assembly in 2021, a position he holds until the coup.

Mamane Oumarou is a two-time Nigerien Prime Minister, and has been Mediator of the Republic since 2008.

Mahamadou Danda is an former Nigerien Prime Minister (2010-2011).

Ibrahim Assane Mayaki is a former Nigerien Prime Minister (1997-2000).

Cheffou Amadou is a former Nigerien Prime Minister (1991-1993).

Hama Amadou is a former Nigerien Prime Minister (1995-1996) & (2000-2007) and ex-President of the National Assembly (2011-2014).

Brigi Rafini is a former Nigerien PM (2011-2021)

Amadou Boubacar Cisse is a former Nigerien PM (1996-1997).

Ousseini Tinni is a former President of the National Assembly (2016-2021).

Hamid Algabid is a former Nigerien PM (1983-1988).