| Niger republic is one of the landlocked countries in | | | | citizenry. |
| West Africa. It is located on the Northern border | | | | However, the military junta struck, ceased power |
| of Nigeria, and it's a member state of the | | | | and took Mamadou Tandja hostage. Surprisingly, |
| Economic Community of West African States | | | | the people we thought should condemn the coup |
| (ECOWAS). | | | | d'etat rose up in its support. Why did they do so? |
| Niger has enjoyed democracy for sometime now | | | | They felt it was better for the military to come |
| until the incumbent president Mamadou Tandja | | | | and salvage the situation than for President |
| was forcefully removed from office through a | | | | Tandja to set a bad precedent for their nascent |
| military coup d'etat. Tandja has ruled the country | | | | democracy. |
| for two consecutive tenures and instead of | | | | Few days before the coup the ECOWAS newly |
| stepping down at the end of his second tenure he | | | | elected chairman, the acting president of Nigeria, |
| decided to alter the country's constitution to pave | | | | Dr. Goodluck Jonathan had declared that |
| way for his third tenure bid. This drew | | | | ECOWAS would have zero tolerance for coup in |
| condemnation from everyone, including the | | | | the Sub-region. Now that the 'Khaki boys' have |
| ECOWAS and the African Union, but typical of | | | | taken over power in Niger will ECOWAS live to its |
| most African leaders Mamadou Tandja cared less | | | | threat or will it be forced to eat its words? How |
| about the consequences of his action and refused | | | | do they intend to rescue the democratic |
| to shift grounds. ECOWAS reacted swiftly by | | | | structures in that country? It looks like they may |
| suspending Niger from her fold. | | | | be compelled to tolerate the military junta and |
| Tandja rode on, crushing all oppositions and | | | | negotiate with them to conduct a credible election |
| protesters who dared raise their voices against his | | | | as soon as possible. |
| illegal constitutional alteration. He held tenaciously | | | | This situation would have been averted were it |
| unto the reins of power. He had managed the | | | | not for the greedinesss of the president. African |
| economy of the landlocked country without | | | | leaders should learn to be up and doing so that |
| accountability. Niger happens to be one of the few | | | | the political instability and incessant coups in the |
| countries in the world that are endowed with | | | | continent would be a thing of the past, especially |
| Uranium, a mineral useful for nuclear fuel/nuclear | | | | now that military regime is no longer a fashion in |
| weapons. The mining of this natural endowment | | | | other parts of the world. |
| has not reflected positively on the lives of the | | | | |