ECOWAS
Suspends Niger Republic
The
West African economic bloc, ECOWAS has suspended Niger in
protest against flawed parliamentary elections held on Tuesday.
ECOWAS had, resolved at its last summit in Abuja, Nigeria asked
Niger to suspend holding the parliamentary elections. This
informed its resolve not to recognize the results of the vote,
which was expected to allow President Mamadou Tandja to tighten
his grip on power and deepen the country's constitutional
crisis.
Turnout for the votes was low after the opposition called for a
boycott.
White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs had urged ECOWAS to impose a
full set of sanctions against Niger.
ECOWAS had earlier called on Mr. Tandja to postpone the votes
indefinitely to allow talks with opposition politicians.
Tandja's second term in office was due to expire this year, but
he defied domestic and international pressure and extended his
mandate for a further three years and increased his presidential
powers at the expense of parliament.
Reaction
Niger has reacted to the suspension by
accusing ECOWAS of misunderstanding the situation in the
country.
A government spokesman, Moctar Mahamane Kassoum said a day after
the group suspended its membership, that President Mamadou
Tandja was a man of peace and dialogue.
NAN/BBC/Qasim/Yinka
