by Eze Eluchie
“Political power is not to
be served in a restaurant, it's not served in a la carte, it's what we are
doing, its being determined to do it at all costs: Fight for it, grab it,
snatch it and run with it”
~Bola Tinubu (Nigeria’s
placeholder President) in London, 2013.
When soldiers of the
Republic of Niger’s Presidential Guards in the morning of 26th July 2023, the
detained President Mohamed Bazoum in a bloodless coup d’etat, the spontaneity
of jubilations across Niger was quite infectious. Outsiders distant from the
pains and sufferings of the people of Niger would be astounded, but any
familiar with the goings on In this mineral rich country whose population have
been derided for decades as ‘one of the poorest countries on earth’, will
understand the euphoria.
Here was a country which
was a major producer of uranium and had very rich Gold reserves, yet the
population barely felt the wealth of their country, whilst conglomerates from
France and other European entities profited immensely from Niger. Niger was on
an edge and the slightest tilt was bound to effect the change witnessed in the
coup.
Coming barely two weeks
after the pronouncement by newly installed Chairman of the regional body, the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Nigeria’s Placeholder
President, Bola Tinubu, that ECOWAS would not tolerate any ‘unconstitutional’
changes in political leadership across the sub-region, the July Coup in Niger
set up an early test-case for the potency of ECOWAS.
In a hurriedly convened
meeting of some Heads of Governments of ECOWAS member States in Abuja, chaired
by Mr. Tinubu (who ECOWAS had in view of Nigeria’s enormous financial
contributions towards the sustenance of the West African regional multi-State
organization, made Chairman during his very first attendance at any ECOWAS
meet), ECOWAS rather undiplomatically and contrary to the regional bodies
practices to arrive at decisions via consensus and unanimous agreements,
brashly ordered those who had deposed the government in Republic of Niger to
vacate office within a week, or face military intervention from ECOWAS. Noticeably absent at the said ECOWAS Heads of
State meeting, were the leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Equitorial
Guinea. That the Authority of Heads of State of ECOWAS would arrive at such
controversial decision without ensuring all the member States of the
organization were on board was bound to later haunt the sub-regional body.
Being himself, a character
who snatched and ran with political power against the wishes of the population
freely expressed in the 25th February 2023 Presidential elections in Nigeria,
the country’s current, Mr. Tinubu, was clearly in no position whatsoever to
challenge the soldiers who grabbed power in similar vein. It is however
important to note that unlike Tinubu, General Abdourahamane Tchiani and his
compatriots apparently have the support of the overwhelming majority of
Nigeriens and peoples of the West Africa sub-region
It must be pointed out at
this stage that in the absence of unanimity amongst ECOWAS countries, any
invasion of Niger (as being planned by some countries with support and prodding
by some Western countries) would be an illegitimate war. Already, Mali, Burkina
Faso and Guinea have already indicated that any attack on Niger Republic would
be taken by those three geographically and linguistically contiguous countries,
as an attack against their peoples.
Those who fail to condemn
persons who attain political power by scuttling the Constitutions of their
respective countries via acts of electoral heist and stealing votes, should
spare us any sanctimonious indignations when non-politicians (in the strict
sense of that phrase) opt to intervene in the political space. Such
condemnations of non-politicians’ interventions in politics gets more
condescending if the intervention is with the approval and support of the
domestic population.
The old saying of
universal validity that ‘those who make peaceful change impossible, make
violent change inevitable’ comes to light once more. When the existing
political process consistently churns out scions and cronies of those who have
held the population backwards, it is only a matter of time, before the bubble
bursts. The population affected have to remain vigilant, lest the ideals of
today become the nightmare of tomorrow.
The argument that any
‘democratic arrangement’ is better than military regimes is, as has been
experienced by the peoples of West Africa, a fallacy from the pit of hell.
Are coups okay only when
it is supported and planned by some external powers; and bad when it has
popular support? Is the condemnation and sanctioning being applied by some
Western countries merely for the purposes of exploring and ensuring protection
of external interests, and will such be relaxed once age old parochial
interests, which have left the peoples of the affected country pauperized are
assured?
The West (the United
States, United Kingdom, the European Union et al), should not taint their existing
moral authority as democracies by prodding the mastermind and prime beneficiary
of Nigeria’s 2023 electoral heist to plunge the West Africa region into
needless and wasteful fratricidal conflict.
The implications of the
continuing push by some Western countries, notably France, Britain and the
United States for ECOWAS military intervention in Niger is that arguments being
made by NATO against Russia for its ‘special military operations’ in Ukraine
would be exposed as hypocritical and nonsensical if any countries supporting
Ukraine were to participate in an illegitimate invasion on and against the
peoples of Niger Republic.
Additionally, demands that
former Nigerien President, Bazoum, be ‘released unconditionally’ being touted
by the US, British and French governments is clear unsolicited interference in
the internal affairs of Niger. A call for expedient production of the deposed
President before requisite judicial authorities in Niger for the prosecution of
any charges the new Government in Niamey may have against the deposed ruler,
would have been more realistic and responsible.
Tinubu’s infamous
declaration to fight, grab, snatch and run with political power
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/d4kgJAsHCok
Those who rig elections are Siamese twins
with coup plotters – the only difference being that riggers are civilians and
coupists are oftentimes soldiers
Picture: Niger
leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani and Nigeria ruler, Bola Tinubu
