Niger crisis: Diplomacy is the best solution – Koku Anyidoho

ECOWAS election observer Koku Anyidoho has stated that he does not consider what happened in Niger to be a coup, but rather a citizen uprising fueled and supported by men in uniform.

In an interview with Kwabena Agyapong on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, the founder of the Atta-Mills Institute stated that if you look at the civilians who are supporting the men in uniform, you will see that this is not a coup but a civilian uprising against what they perceive to be poor governance.

"Some have called it a coup and a military takeover, but I don’t want to call it that. It is a citizen uprising. Yes, those who led the process were in uniform, but look at the civilians who are supporting the men in uniform, and you will understand my point of view.”

Anyidoho stated that several afrobarometer reports, including those released by CDD-Ghana, surveyed about 35 African countries and the youth in these countries aged 18 to 30, with approximately 60% of them supporting the uprisings taking place in other countries.

In some countries, he noted, spontaneous coups are taking place through the ballot box.

"This is what the afrobarometers indicate. These are not my personal opinions. They were documented in the reports I mentioned. So, these are the issues being addressed. But in Niger, there are several factors at play, and the citizens support what the men in uniform did.”

He said one of the ley minerals in Niger, which is uranium, and its strategic interests have made this uprising a global issue.

He stated that, regardless of how this issue is viewed, the use of military intervention as proposed by ECOWAS will be difficult.

For him, diplomacy is the only way out of this challenge because the question to ask is, Are you going to kill all the civilians who are supporting the soldiers who led the uprising?