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August 5, 2023
Sources at the close-door executive session on Saturday told SaharaReporters that the senators would also prevail on the Nigerian government to restore power to the neighbouring country.
The Nigerian Senate after a closed-door session has agreed to pass a resolution ruling out President Bola Tinubu’s military action in Niger Republic over the coup in the country, SaharaReporters has gathered.
Sources at the close-door executive session on Saturday told SaharaReporters that the senators would also prevail on the Nigerian government to restore power to the neighbouring country.
SaharaReporters learnt that to disregard Tinubu’s military option, some of the senators argued that the United States African command already had a base in Niger Republic and there was no need for Nigeria to deploy troops “to please Americans and other Western countries.”
SaharaReporters earlier exclusively reported that an insider in the session confirmed that the senators were against both the deployment of soldiers and the power supply cut-off already implemented against Niger Republic by the Nigerian government.
It was gathered that Senate president, Godswill Akpabio’s appeal to the senators to give support to Tinubu’s request had fallen on deaf ears so far at the session.
SaharaReporters had on Friday reported that the senate agreed to hold an extensive debate on the request by Tinubu, who is chairman of ECOWAS and Nigerian President, following the military takeover in Niger Republic.
Giving further updates at the executive session, a top source said, “Senators are saying that our military is highly ill equipped and not prepared to fight any war. They said that we have fragile peace in Nigeria and that Niger has the highest arms market in Africa.
“They argue that Nigeria also has Boko Haram and banditry ravaging the country. They said that the government should focus on solving this menaces than contemplating going to the war.
“We are going to plenary/open session to pass resolution that we condemn the coup, commend ECOWAS leaders but military option is totally out of it.
“This is because of the harmonious relationship Nigeria and Niger Republic have enjoyed in the past,” the source said.
“For electricity and power already cut off, it was agreed that delegation to be sent to President Tinubu to have a rethink, without us mentioning it in our resolution. Senators are saying that war is a no-go area, because Americans have a base in Niger and the same US refused to sell Super Tucano jets to Nigeria. Yet some people want us to go to war in order to please Americans and other Western countries,” he added.
It had been reported that Tinubu wrote a letter to Nigeria's National Assembly, notifying the lawmakers about the ECOWAS possible military action against military leaders and coup plotters in Niger Republic.
Tinubu had also listed other sanctions against the military officers who recently seized power in the Niger after overthrowing the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.