According to Sanusi, Nigerians and Nigeriens must be involved in finding a solution to the Niger dilemma, which cannot be left to the government alone.
Sanusi Mohammed, the 14th Emir of Kano, has spoken with the military authorities in Niger responsible for the coup two weeks ago.
This was revealed by the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria when he visited President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday to inform him of his attempts to mediate the political situation in the neighbouring nation.
After unsuccessful attempts by officials of the African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and a prominent US ambassador, he meets with the leaders of the Niger coup.
According to Sanusi, Nigerians and Nigeriens must be involved in finding a solution to the Niger dilemma, which cannot be left to the government alone.
“I came to brief him on the specifics of my conversations with leaders of Niger,” he said. We’ll keep trying to connect the two sides so that communication is better.
“Public diplomacy is needed now; we shouldn’t leave it to governments to handle. To discover a solution that benefits all of Nigeria and all of Niger, as well as all of mankind, all Nigerians and all Nigeriens must be involved.
He emphasised that he used his own connections to make the peace move on his own initiative and added that he would keep doing his utmost to serve as a leader.
“No, the government did not send me. Government representatives knew I was going, but I took the initiative to go on my own, utilising my personal connections, and I’ll keep trying my best. I have to do that because I’m the leader,” Sanusi stated.
The issue in Niger, whose military authorities have disobeyed its ultimatum to transfer control or face potential military intervention, will be discussed at a meeting of ECOWAS leaders scheduled for Thursday.
After Niger missed the deadline to reinstate democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum on Sunday, the 15-member bloc said in its first official response that “ECOWAS heads of state (will) hold another extraordinary summit on the political situation in the Republic of Niger.”
The summit will take place in Abuja, Nigeria, whose president serves as the organization’s current chairman.
