A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Sokoto State, Kabiru Aliyu, has called on the Chairman of the Economic Community of West Africa States and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, to immediately review the sanctions imposed on Niger Republic.
Aliyu, while speaking with Arewa PUNCH during an exclusive interview, called on the president to reconsider some of the stringent sanctions placed on that country, noting that the sanctions have no direct consequences on the coup plotters but on the ordinary citizens of the country.
Arewa PUNCH recalls that following the bloodless coup d’etat by the military junta in the neighbouring country, the leadership of ECOWAS, led by President Bola Tinubu announced some tough sanctions which included the total closure of all land borders with the country.
“I think it is not just about reopening the borders but also the resumption of all the remaining suspended protocols that have been breached.
“I am talking of things like supplying electricity to the Niger Republic which was based on a contract or agreement and was breached.
“Nigeria is at fault, we have no right to stop the electricity supply to that country because, in the agreement reached, Nigeriens are not allowed to construct any Dam in their own place so that the supply of water will directly come to Nigeria,” Aliyu stated.
He stressed that “if the Niger Republic decides to construct the dam in their country to damn Nigeria and stand in the way of our own hydro-electricity, we will definitely not have enough water to power our own hydro-electricity.”
He insisted, “It is not as if we are doing any favour to the Niger Republic but it is an agreement that has to be honoured by both countries which none of them has a bilateral right to withdraw from unless both of them sit and decide on it”
He also advised the Federal Government to take a better look into the relationship which hitherto existed between the duo, especially the Niger Republic and the Northern people in Nigeria which is so close that whatever affects them will also have a direct effect on Northern Nigeria especially Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Yobe and others that share a border with them.
Aliyu maintained, “To me, any punishment meted out to the Niger Republic is like punishing the Northern Nigeria, if someone has not told Mr President then, it is high time he knew and acted accordingly.
“Some of the measures against the Niger Republic must be relaxed. There are ways you can punish the leadership by initiating against them a travelling ban and such others. Not punishing the citizens, you are even making the citizens more aggressive and supporting the leadership of the country.”
