‘There’s room for dialogue’ — Bode George cautions ECOWAS against military action in Niger

Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says there is still room for the leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to engage in dialogue to resolve the political crisis in the Niger Republic.

George spoke on Tuesday while appearing on Arise TV, in reaction to a proposed military intervention in the Francophone country by the ECOWAS.

The regional body has asked the military junta to reinstate the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

Tinubu, the ECOWAS chairperson, had written the national assembly about the organisation’s resolve to intervene in Niger which he said would be a last resort if the military junta in the country failed to shift ground.

George, who warned against the consequences of using military force in Niger, said there is still enough room to dialogue with the junta.

“When they meet tomorrow, I am advising that there’s enough room for dialogue, and the underlining crisis that is engaging all these francophone countries today dates back to the French approach to their own system of colonialism,” he said.

“While the British had colonies, the French had the principle of assimilation. In other words, they didn’t let go. There’s no French country in the whole of Africa where the French government does not have a minimum of a battalion stationed there.”

George, a formal national vice chairman of the PDP, said there is no benefit in invading Niger, noting that there are other West African countries, also under military rule that have joined forces with the Nigerien troops in anticipation of an attack.

“You learn from your experiences. We were in ECOMOG, which was the country that was responsible militarily, financially, and personnel-wise for the armed forces. We did extremely well. What was the benefit to Nigeria?” George asked.

“Before you consider going to war as a nation, you teach your boys the national interest of your country; anything that falls out of that is not a major concern to you, but if anybody infringes on your national interest, then you can go to war because you are going there to defend something so vital to your country.

“Learning from the ECOMOG experience, how can we now go to Niger? What is the benefit? My appeal is that the ECOWAS heads of state should be more careful.

“The Ukraine-Russia war today has lingered on for over a year; they are still fighting, and innocent people are dying. War is not a tea party, and it is better to jaw-jaw than war-war.

“I am talking from experience and the fact that Niger is not the only country in the whole geo-political belt of the francophone countries that have a military administration, from Guinea to Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad, and Sudan.

“That takes you from the west Atlantic all the way to the Red Sea, right across the whole belt of Africa in the Sahara. Why Niger?”

An ultimatum from ECOWAS to the coup plotters to reinstate Bazoum or risk a military intervention expired on Sunday.

The bloc said it will meet on Thursday to discuss how to proceed on the crisis in the Niger Republic.