…says it’s Anti-Tinubu Action by AU
By Akubulu Ngozi
Following the recent military coup in Niger Republic, Former Nigeria Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi, has alleged that the coup was masterminded by South Africa Government through the African Union, AU, to deface Tinubu’s tenure as the President of the Economic Community of West Africa States, ECOWAS.
The Former Minister made the claim during an interactive session with newsmen on Arise News Television today.
Recall that, earlier last month, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was declared Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
According to Mr Akinyemi, the AU action taken by intervening in the coup before ECOWAS and the viral video on South African Television Station, where an analyst was blaming Tinubu for the coup in Niger, with claims of him being illegitimate because of issues behoving on the just concluded Nigeria Presidential election.
He said, “Under the tradition of the African Unity, ECOWAS is supposed to take the lead in confronting the issue in Niger and Africa Union would take it up; instead, the African Union took the lead in responding to the issue in Niger, why this was something masterminded by South Africa to thorn President Tinubu in the face.
“This was an Anti-Tinubu action by the African Union. Why do I say that, there’s a video that is going around which showed an analysis of South Africa Television Station, which blamed Tinubu for the coup in Niger that it is because President Tinubu is illegitimate, because his elections are contentious. This is coming from a President that has an anti-corruption case still hanging around his neck.”
Also, speaking on the place of Nigeria in the coup, Prof. Akinyemi said that, Nigeria has a great role to play in terms of money and manpower to maintain her place as the “Giant of Africa”.
“We are not going in there to fight against the forces of the Super Powers; therefore, the cost would be minimal compared to if we are going there to fight French forces or American forces. There is cost to policy. There’s a cost to action; if we want Nigeria to continue to be the Giant of Africa, we have to pay for it.