President Bola Tinubu on Thursday urged his colleagues in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to prioritise diplomacy in the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the Niger Republic.
The president made the call in his opening address at the second ECOWAS extraordinary summit on the Niger crisis in Abuja.
The ECOWAS leaders had in their first session held on July 30 gave the military a one-week ultimatum to release the detained President Mohammed Basoum and restore democratic governance in the country.
The bloc on Tuesday imposed fresh sanctions, including travel ban and asset freeze on the junta and their supporters.
At the summit, Tinubu appealed to ECOWAS leaders to evaluate the effectiveness of ECOWAS interventions and identify any gaps or challenges that may have hindered progress.
He said: “Moreso, in reaffirming our relentless commitment to democracy, human rights, and the well-being of the people of Niger, it is crucial that we prioritize diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach.
“We must engage all parties involved, including the coup leaders, in earnest discussions to convince them to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum.
“It is our duty to exhaust all avenues of engagement to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger.”
