A Nigerien political analyst and Pan Africanist, Hamidou Alfari Saley, believes the General Abdourahamane Tchiani-led coup in the West African state has been “legitimised by Nigeriens.”
According to him, if the world see democracy as an approved system of governance, then, the world shouldn’t speak ill of the recent government overthrow in his motherland.
In a one-on-one with Captain Smart on Maakye Wednesday, August 23, 2023, Mr. Saley noted the democracy being practiced in Africa is alien to the people for lacking the basic tenets of the indigenous culture of the people.
He contends the Western world has capitalized on democracy to deprive Africa of its needs, looting the latter of its resources in a disguised aide for the black race.
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“If democracy is a legitimate process, then this coup has been legitimised by the people. Our democracy has been copy and paste but rather it should be built on our values and culture. We should calculate and we will know that we are rather aiding the western world and not the other way around,” he told host Captain Smart.
The Pan Africanist also shared that, the insurgence in Niger was a long overdue call for the liberation of the Nigerian people.
“Nigerians have been crying for this coup for a long time. It’s a long overdue liberation fight. We are sick and tired of being sick and tired. We need true independence and not independence on paper,” he added.
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General Abdourahamane Tchiani announced the overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum on July 27, closed the country’s borders and suspended the constitution.
Following the announcement, leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) threatened the head of the military junta to restore democracy to the state, failure of which would resort to an invasion of the country by a standby military force from the sub-regional bloc.
The Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff have had two meetings in Abuja and Ghana, finalise on their decision to send troops to Niger if negotiations for the handing over of power to the elected president fails.
Meanwhile, General Tchiani has said he will revert power to civilian rule after three years.
READ ALSO: Col. Aboagye thinks ECOWAS is being propagandist in communication on Niger crisis
