The Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), has rejected the three-year transition plan proposed by Niger Republic’s military junta.
Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs, peace and security, spoke on Sunday in an interview with the BBC, that the proposal was unacceptable to ECOWAS, setting the ground for a military operation.
General Abdourahamane Tchiani, leader of the Niger junta, had said in a televised broadcast on Saturday night that the army will hand over power to the civilian government within the next three years.
Earlier Saturday former Military Head of State, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), led a delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to Niger in a last-ditch diplomatic effort to reach a peaceful solution with the Niger junta.
The delegation met with Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine who received them at the airport and led them to the presidential palace.
The coup leader gave no details of the plan, noting that only the principles for the transition would be decided within 30 days at a dialogue to be hosted by the junta.
“Our ambition is not to confiscate power. Transition period will not exceed three years; meanwhile, political parties are urged to submit their vision for the transition within 30 days,” Tiani had said.
They later met with the ousted Niger’s president Mohamed Bazoum, after meeting General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the head of the junta.
It was the first peace talk led by Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar that ECOWAS activated its standby force.
