In Niger Republic, President Mohamed Bazoum faced a challenging situation when he was held hostage by dissatisfied members of the elite Presidential Guard. The army responded with an ultimatum to release the embattled Islamic leader. The West African bloc, ECOWAS, condemned the incident, labeling it an “attempted coup” and called for Bazoum’s immediate release. Bazoum’s election marked the first democratic transition of power in the country, which has a history of military coups since gaining independence from France in 1960.
President Bola Tinubu, who also serves as the chairman of ECOWAS, firmly stated that they would not tolerate any actions that undermine democratically-elected governments.
Aisha Yesufu, addressing the chaos in Niger Republic, expressed her belief that a similar situation is unfolding in Nigeria. She questioned the legitimacy of President Tinubu and stressed the importance of not distinguishing between political and military coups, as this differentiation poses a threat to democracy.
In a tweet, Yesufu emphasized the need to recognize the similarities between the situations in both countries, highlighting the risk to democracy if such issues are not addressed appropriately. She further asserted that President Tinubu is not considered legitimate in her eyes, using the hashtag #NotMyPresidentTinubu to drive home her point.
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