National Coordinator of Security Governor Initiative, Aliyu Gebi, has emphasized the absence of bilateral discussions between Nigeria and Niger. He spoke on both countries being “Siamese twins” and directly impacting each other.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, Gebi said that Nigeria should have employed an internal discussion with Niger before employing ECOWAS.
He said, “The unfortunate situation we find ourselves here is the burden of command on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is chairman of ECOWAS, but also the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Ideally, the discussion should have started internally, going out, so as president of the federal government of Nigeria, looking at our bilateral relationship before speaking as chairman of ECOWAS.
“Now we’ve boxed ourselves in, and we’re talking from outside, inwards, and it is not very comfortable for our bilateral relationship. First, it is bilateral, then multi-lateral.”
He also identified the absence of engagement on behalf of Nigeria in a bilateral way. He noted that the delegation holding negotiations is only on behalf of ECOWAS.
He said, “You’ve sent this delegation to deliver a message. You can’t deliver a message and get the answer immediately, so it’s a process, and this delegation went on behalf of ECOWAS, not on behalf of Nigeria. Up till now, no one has gone on behalf of Nigeria.
“I am yet to hear Nigeria cohesively, in a bilateral way, try to engage Niger, and if you want to engage Niger, there are traditional and political institutions that you can use.”
Nigeria allegedly stopped supplying its northern neighbours with energy, according to Nigelec, the Niger electrical organisation. Gebi had said the electricity supply is on the basis of a bilateral agreement between Nigeria and Niger. He said that “the electricity is given to Niger, not for and on behalf of ECOWAS.
“The electricity is given to Niger, not for and on behalf of ECOWAS. It is Nigeria giving Niger in a bilateral agreement.
“It is Nigeria that pulled the plug, not ECOWAS.
He added, “I would have hoped to see the President call in for an emergency national security council first, before an ECOWAS emergency summit. Even from the ECOWAS perspective, there should be an emergency session of the ECOWAS parliament.
“There are layers that should have been deployed, but we boxed ourselves into this seven-day ultimatum.
Gebi also spoke of deploying back-channel discussions with Mali and Senegal for mediation and discussions.
Frances Ibiefo
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