The various sanctions imposed on the Niger Republic military junta are that of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS and not that of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, has explained.
A new set of sanctions were imposed on groups, organisations and individuals identified as giving support to the military junta in the Republic of Niger.
Ngelale said nothing personal about it as the President is only the arrow Head of the regional body as the Chair.
He therefore decried the media reports linking the decision of the ECOWAS to the person of the president of Nigeria.
‘’Concerning the ultimatum given to the military Junta in Niger Public. The ECOWAS mandate and ultimatum is not a Nigerian ultimatum. The office of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also serving as the chairman of ECOWAS, seeks to emphasize this point.
‘’Certain domestic and international media coverage tends towards a personalization of the ECOWAS sub-regional position to his person and to our nation individually.
‘’It is because of this that Mr president has deemed it necessary to state unequivocally that the mandate and ultimatum issued ECOWAS is that of ECOWAS’s position,’’ he said.
Ngelale said that the president, following the expiration of the ultimatum given by ECOWAS, has widened consultations internationally but most especially domestically.
He said that the consultations include interfaces with state governors in Nigeria bordering Niger Republic on the various fallouts and outcomes of the unfortunate situation in that country.
‘’President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wishes to emphasize to this distinguished audience that the response of ECOWAS to the military coup in Niger has been and will remain devoid of ethnic and religious sentiments and considerations.
‘’The regional bloc is made up of all sub-regional ethnic groups, religious groups, and all other forms of human diversity. And the response of ECOWAS, therefore, represents all of these groups, and not any of these groups individually.’’
