Senators rejected President Bola Tinubu’s plea for authorization to send Nigerian troops to the Niger Republic as part of an ECOWAS deployment to restore the nation’s democratically elected president.
On July 26, a coup organized by Mohamed Bazoum’s presidential guards resulted in his removal as president.
Four days later, in Abuja, the leaders of ECOWAS handed the coup leaders a seven-day deadline to restore constitutional order or risk the use of force. The regional organization slapped sanctions on the coup leaders, and Nigeria cut off energy and closed its borders to the impoverished West African country.
Following the coup leaders’ failure to retract their statements, West African defense chiefs claimed to have developed a plan for military action, as part of which President Tinubu requested authorization from the Senate to use Nigerian troops in the operation.
However, the senators turned down the president’s proposal at an executive session on Saturday.
Senators decided to draft a resolution denouncing the coup and praising ECOWAS leaders for their efforts to reinstate constitutional order in Niger, but they ruled out using military force, according to a senator who was present at the meeting.
“Senators believe that the Federal Government should focus on solving the Boko Haram, banditry, and ESN/IPOB menaces ravaging the country instead of contemplating going to war in a foreign country. ”
Over 90 percent of senators who spoke are vehement against sending troops/military action.”
The senator said Senate President Goodswill Akpabio appealed to the lawmakers to endorse the steps President Tinubu had taken so far, but they vehemently rejected the appeal.
Senators were saying that they will pass a resolution condemning the coup, but on the issue of going to war with Niger, it is a no-go area.”
The Senate has now returned to plenary where they are expected to pass a resolution on the issue.