NIGER COUP: Likelihood of Conspiracy Against Nigeria Imminent, APC Chieftain Urges FG To Consider Nigeria’s National Interest Above Regional Interest.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress has called on the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to give primace to Nigeria’s national interest over and above regional or any other primordial interests.
Dr. Joseph Ikpea, a frontline governorship hopeful in the forthcoming 2024 governorship election in Edo state on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in a statement issued in Benin City said “influence, decisions and actions taken at international level is determined by the National interest of all participating countries. While considering Nigeria’s participation in the ECOWAS’ actions in Niger, we should not allow any sentiment or interest to determine our participation.
“To my understanding, annexing a nation and a coup are the same, although one of them is more weird in thinking. It should be noted that European nations and united states of America are evolving all diplomatic means to resolve the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, but in the case of Niger and ECOWAS, Nigeria is more likely to suffer more of consequences of our closeness to Niger, it is my candid opinion that we continue with dialogues as any likely involvement or spearheading a military invasion will have a colossal effect on Nigeria than any other west Africa country.
“From the analysis of the gas pipeline originating from Delta state going through Niger, Morroco and then to Algeria, from where our natural gas will be piped into European countries, it will certainly be worrisome and disturbing to hear that Algeria is planning to provide alternative power supply, for free, to Niger, since Nigeria is using it’s provision of power supply as a weapon of diplomacy as Niger is now off Nigeria’s national grids, as part of sanctions, which of course is a better means than involving man power including military and other resources. I sense conspiracy against Nigeria, we should be smart considering the state of economy today.
“Beyond the risk of involving our military personnel, the situation might be too much for our military to handle, because the criminal elements like Boko Haram and ISWAP may take advantage of the perceived crisis to invade most of the northern states again. In light of this i sincerely appeal to federal government to evolve all diplomatic means to getting the desired results
Dr. Joseph Ikpea said “the effects of our involvement in any confrontation with Niger , the country that harbor our gas pipeline route project to Europe, which is one of the colossal projects in the recent years, will benefits the nation’s manpower development and economy growth, and should be well managed to avoid sabotage to nigeria which would be an unquantifable loss to the nation.
“It is a misnormal for anyone or group of people to think that the effect of a possible attack of Niger by ECOWAS would only be on the northern states of Nigeria. We are a united Nigeria, we need each other to make a great nation.
The governorship hopeful then enjoined the Federal Government to “rather engage in diplomacy than confrontation in our national interest. Because it is unthinkable to my understanding that a country who is part of tripartite agreement , who Harbors the end point of distribution of gas to Europe countries will volunteer to give free power supply to Niger, i feel something is wrong somewhere.
