Former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, has voiced his opposition to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) employing force to reinstate democracy in Niger.
In response to the military coup d’état that removed the democratically elected president of Niger Republic on July 27, Kalu, now a senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, released a statement on Thursday. He argued against Nigeria’s involvement in ECOWAS’ military intervention plan, asserting that Nigerian soldiers should not lose their lives in another country’s conflict.
Kalu advocated for Nigeria to provide financial support to ECOWAS rather than sending soldiers. He questioned the necessity of waging war in Niger, given the uncertainty surrounding the sponsors and outcomes of such a conflict.
The former governor suggested a different approach to the situation, proposing that Nigeria, along with the United States and France, could engage the coup leaders in Niger and allow them a period of one year to six months to transition power to a new government.
Kalu emphasized the importance of preserving Nigeria’s peace, asserting that if ECOWAS’ actions jeopardize this peace, withdrawing from the organization would be a justifiable course of action. He underlined the sovereignty of Nigeria as a nation and stressed that the well-being of its citizens is of paramount importance.
Kalu’s statement concluded, “The Niger Republic is in our backyard and Nigeria should not join ECOWAS’ plan of military invasion. If the US, France, and the UK want war in Niger, they can send their own people. Nigeria can support with finance but not with our soldiers. No Nigerian soldier deserves to die in another country because of war. Fighting a war in the Niger Republic is not necessary as no one is sure of the sponsors and how it would end. Nigeria, the US, and France can intervene in Niger by giving them between one year and six months to hand over to a new government. If ECOWAS would cost Nigeria the peace it needs, there is nothing wrong with pulling out of ECOWAS. Nigeria is a sovereign nation and the concerns of its people matter most.”
