PRETORIA, August 8. /TASS/. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its current chairman, Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, prefer a diplomatic solution to the situation in Niger, Tinubu’s spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said on Tuesday.
Tinubu and ECOWAS want to settle the situation in Niger diplomatically rather than by military means, Reuters quoted him as saying. Nevertheless, according to Ngelale, ECOWAS will consider all possible options at its emergency summit in the Nigerian capital city of Abuja on August 10. He promised far-reaching decisions.
The ECOWAS summit comes after the rebels who seized power in Niger refused to meet the demand put forward during the ECOWAS’ previous meeting on July 30, which gave the rebels seven days to restore constitutional order in the country. The upcoming summit is expected to make a decision on what to do next with respect to Niger.