The Nigeria Network of Peace Journalists (NNPJ), has appealed to Nigerian President and Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Bola Ahmed Tinubu against the use of force with Niger Republic following the recent coup in that country.
The leader of the Network, Ibrahima Yakubu, in a statement, stressed the need for ECOWAS to sustain the on going peace talks and dialogue with Niger Republic for the unity in the region.
“Our stand is peace and dialogue for the unity of the entire black nation, while encouraging ECOWAS to use the medium of diplomacy to resolve the situation ”
“We from various media organizations across the country have joined hands toward making calls for peace talks and dialogue with the aim at resolving the situation in the region ”
While appealing to the Federal Republic of Nigeria not to go into any form of military action with the Republic of Niger over the recent military coup in that country, the Network strongly suggests that all available means of dialogue and diplomacy should be utilized,
The Network called on President Ahmed Tinubu not to lead the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to take military action against coupists in the Republic of Niger.
ECOWAS, which has the backing of the western countries and United Nations, had issued a 7-day ultimatum to the military junta to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum as the democratically elected president or face a range of stiff sanctions. The ultimatum will lapse tomorrow, (Monday)
Prominent figures in Nigeria, including members of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, legal luminary Femi Falana, rtd ex-naval Chief Suleiman Sa’idu, former Emir of Gwandu Alhaji Almustapha Haruna Jokolo, former Wazirin Katsina, Sani Abubakar Lugga, and prominent columnist and former presidential spokesman Segun Adeniyi, have spoken on the situation in Niger.
They concur that diplomacy should be the way forward and, if it fails, employing strong sanctions to compel the coup plotters to reconsider their actions and return to democratic rule.
They said the best way to go is to use diplomacy, and when it fails, deploy sanctions that would compel the initiators of the coup to have a rethink towards sustaining democracy in that country.
The art of diplomacy, better communication and negotiation, image management, and policy implementation to address future occurrences in the Sahel region are necessary, while calling on local and global media to reduce the hype about the situation in Niger Republic.
“We are all brothers from the same region”
“We strongly believe that peace talk and dialogue are the best approach to resolve the current situation”
“We appeal to ECOWAS to use all available means of diplomacy towards bringing an end to the situation for Peace and Stability in West Africa and the continent at large.
“Indeed, the use of diplomacy is instrumental in communication, negotiation, intelligence gathering, image management, and policy implementation.
We call on all African countries to promote and sustain democratic government for development and growth in the African region