The former Head of State and leader of ECOWAS delegation to Niger Republic General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retired) said Tuesday that diplomacy can be used to resolve the current political crisis in Republic of Niger.
Abubakar said this while fielding questions from State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Hopefully diplomacy will see the better of this. Nobody wants to go to war, it doesn’t pay anybody, but then again, our leaders have said if all fails and I don’t think all will fail, we’ll get somewhere we’ll get out of this mess.
”Well, like I said, we’ve started talking, they have made their own points and then I made my report to the Chairman of the ECOWAS Heads of State and President of Nigeria. He will now consult with his colleagues and then the ding-dong starts and we’ll get somewhere hopefully,” he said.
The former Head of State said the ECOWAS delegation was well received in Niger and they had fruitful discussions.
“As you are aware, the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government sent envoys to Niger Republic and we were there over the weekend to see the military people and discuss finding a way out of the lacuna we find ourselves in.
“So that’s why I’m here this afternoon, together with the President of the ECOWAS Commission, to give a report back to Mr. President on our discussions in Niger.
“I must say that our visit to Niger has been very fruitful and that it has opened an avenue to start talking and hopefully we’ll get somewhere,” he said.
The Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS had appointed the envoys in the wake of a coup d’etat in the Republic of Niger, so as to mediate with the coup plotters as part of efforts to restore constitutional government in that country.
The three-man delegation is made up of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III; and the President of ECOWAS Commission, Omar Tourey.
