The government of Niger has said it is “outraged” by the statement of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Monday noting the “end of the statutory term” of President Mamadou Tandja, who remains in power thanks to the controversial adoption of a Constitution in August, said a government statement copied to APA Thursday in Niamey.
In the statement, Niamey said it learned “with astonishment and indignation about the ECOWAS 22 December 2009 statement,” stressing that the said statement comes a day after the opening of the inter-Nigerien dialogue with the mediation of ECOWAS- appointed facilitator General Abdul Salami Abubakar.
“The statement is surprising by its content and inappropriateness, and is not consistent with the conclusions of the conference of heads of state and government, held 17 October 2009 in Abuja,” said the statement which APA received on Thursday.
The same source indicates that the government “expresses its indignation at the attitude of the ECOWAS Commission, which expresses itself on the mandate of a President of the Republic which is not in its domain.”
Niamey has reminded members of the ECOWAS Commission that “they are compelled to show restraint, and therefore have no right to engage in boisterous counterproductive statements.”
The official document states that a referendum was held on 4 August and on that occasion “the Nigerien people came down clearly, and overwhelmingly, in favour of the advent of the 6th Republic (…) after which the mandate of the President of the Republic will end in 2012.
On Wednesday, the presidential camp which was on an ECOWAS-backed dialogue with the opposition withdrew from the consultations, because of the statement of the regional body that urges the Nigerien leader to step down.
Some hours later, speaking through its spokesman Kassoum Moctar, the government reiterated “its full availability to the success of these consultations” reaffirming its “commitment to frank and realistic dialogue and reiterates its support for the ongoing mediation.”
Elected twice in 1999 and 2004, former colonel President Mamadou Tandja, 71, who theoretically should have completed his second five-year term in 22 December, is still in power after adopting a new constitution that has no term limit.
Source African Press Agency
