By Emmanuel Nduka
Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris and United Nations’ Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, have both expressed strong support for Nigeria’s efforts toward the restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
In separate telephone conversations with President Bola Tinubu on Thursday evening, the two leaders also commended the Nigerian President, who is also the Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, for spearheading the peace moves so far.
Heritage Times HT had reported that some soldiers from the Presidential Guard had on Wednesday moved to depose President Mohamed Bazoum in Niamey.
Responding, President Tinubu had quickly rejected the threat to democracy in Niger, and sending a strong delegation to talk with all the parties with a view to restoring constitutional order in Niger.
Harris Charges Tinubu
In her telephone conversation with President Tinubu, at the instance of the US authorities, Harris, according to a release issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, praised the reform initiatives of the Federal Government, urging the country to continue in that direction.
While pledging to support democracy in Africa including the West African sub region, Harris also said the US would assist Nigeria in the battle against terrorism.
The US Vice President spoke on the need for Africa, including Nigeria to embrace energy transitions.
President Tinubu responded by thanking Harris for the telephone call and her words of encouragement on the efforts taken so far on the economy, but added that “the developments in Niger Republic dampen spirits.”
He promised that the ECOWAS under his watch would do all that is necessary to restore democracy in Niger, while counting on the support of the US.
“We had to get rid of the fuel subsidy that is laden with fraud with a few people appropriating the wealth of the country to themselves.
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“We would need the US to help push for investments that will help alleviate the effects of subsidy removal in Nigeria. We need foreign direct investment to come in.
“We have abundant gas resources in the country and not been able to fund gas pipelines to Europe and compete in that gas market is a handicap,” Tinubu said.
In his conversation with the UN Secretary- General, President Tinubu said he was doing everything possible to resolve the impasse in Niger.
While expressing the hope that the situation in Niger could still be reversed for better, he said ECOWAS would require UN’s support for restoring democracy and building institutions in that country.
Guterres had earlier pledged the commitment of the UN for Tinubu’s peace efforts in Niger Republic.
