President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday said the biting sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States on the Niger junta would not be lifted despite the military leaders’ promise to negotiate with the regional bloc to resolve the crisis in the francophone country.
Tinubu, who stated this when he received the Special Envoy of President Ali Ondimba and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Gabon, Hermann Immongault, at the State House in Abuja, insisted that military takeover of government was no longer acceptable in Africa.
However, the junta led by Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, has demanded restoration of electricity cut off by the Federal Government as part of the embargoes slammed on the coupists following the overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.
Tchiani, who made the request during their meeting with the Ulamas from Nigeria in Niamey on Saturday, said they were outraged that the regional bloc did not hear from them before slamming several embargoes on them, including the threat of military intervention to restore democracy.
But Tinubu, who is the ECOWAS chairman, told his visitors on Tuesday that any interference in democratic governance would not be accepted by the leadership of the regional body.