Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Nigeria’s former Minister for External Affairs, has said that the actions taken by the African Union (AU) regarding the coup in the Republic of Niger is a deliberate attempt instigated by South Africa to undermine the authority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Professor Akinyemi claimed that though the African Union and ECOWAS were supposed to be on the same side, this was not the case, as the decisions that were made by the AU in taking the lead on the Niger crisis were instigated by South Africa. He said that South Africans had earlier blamed Tinubu for the coup in Niger, and eventually influenced the AU to take steps in order to trump ECOWAS, and in turn, Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the commission.
Explaining his view further, Akinyemi said, “Under the tradition of the African unit, something they copied from the OAU, ECOWAS is supposed to take the lead in confronting the issue, and then, the African Union will follow up, Instead, the African Union took the lead in responding to the issue in Niger, why? This was something masterminded by South Africa to thump President Tinubu in the face. It was an Anti Tinubu action by the African Union.
“Why do I say that a South African is behind this? There is a video that is going around which showed an analysis on a South African elevation station, which blames Tinubu for the coup in Niger, that it is because President Tinubu is illegitimate, because his election is contentious, etc, that the coup had happened. Now, this is coming from a nation where their president has an anti-corruption charge still hanging around his neck, which the majority view, the majority party, the ANC, in parliament, they had used to overturn the decision of the judicial panel which had found him guilty of corruption.
“This is coming from the same South Africa that is now blaming Tinubu. So, the AU stepped quickly into the breach in order, simply, to thump President Tinubu in the face.”
The professor then said that ECOWAS had put itself in a tough position by “imposing a 7-day limit for a reaction, while African Union gave them 15 days, creating a hiatus that the Niger regime can exploit by saying ‘we will listen to the African Union rather than the ECOWAS’.
“We should keep that in mind, because in fact, the problem for ECOWAS is not being posed by the western countries. It is being posed by the African Union, being instigated by South Africa.”
On Friday, the 28th of July, the AU had given the coup plotters in Niger a 15-day ultimatum, giving no actions that will be taken if the orders are nor complied with. However, on Sunday, the 30th of July ECOWAS gave them a 7-day ultimatum, saying that if the demand was not met within the set time frame, all necessary measures, including force, will be taken to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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