The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliament was, on Saturday, divided over how best to address the political impasse caused by the coup in Niger Republic.
While some members advocated actions that would stem military intrusion into governance within the region, others said dialogue and diplomacy were the best ways to solve the crisis.
The positions were taken when the 22 parliamentarians held an extraordinary meeting, held virtually, to discuss the Niger Republic impasse.
The members who were against military action put forward the fate that could befall the masses if the country was invaded by forces trying to dislodge the coupists.
Niger rep
Ali Djibo, from Niger Republic said already no fewer than 9,000 schools have been shut since the crisis, adding that the best solution was dialogue and that military action had never been the best option anywhere in the world.
Djibo said: “War will only compound the economic woes the peoples of the sub-region are already going through.
“As we speak, over a thousand trucks, loaded with goods, are stranded at the border.
“If a coup happened in Nigeria or Cote’d’Iviore tomorrow, where’s the ECOWAS going to mobilise troops to fight the Nigerian or Ivorian military? How many borders are we going to close?
“We must also bear in mind that if we’re applying the ECOWAS treaty, it should be applicable to all.”
For Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante (Rivers), ECOWAS must pay keen attention and treat the root causes of coup in ECOWAS countries.
He said diplomacy must be used to resolve the problem.
‘What has dialogue done in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea?’
Members of the ECOWAS Parliament rooting for military solution to the Niger Republic matter said dialogue and diplomacy had tamed the spread of coup in West Africa.
One of them was Linda Ikpeazu, who said because there were no consequences in the past, especially in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, hence Niger Republic situation.
She stressed that with the current situation, in the sub-region, nobody knows which country will be the next.
Adebayo Balogun, in his contribution, said ECOWAS Heads of States were not proposing a full scale war, but a military action to dislodge the junta.
He recalled that Niger was a signatory to ECOWAS’ revised protocol on non-military intervention.
Also, Bashir Dawodu said he believed that while dialogue is being pursued, the body should be opened to military option to put pressure on the coupists.
Meanwhile, he pointed out, those banking on Russia to defend the junta should know that Russia alone cannot do it
