Don’t declare war against Niger Republic to please US, France, Rep member cautions Tinubu

As tension continues to build over possible confrontation with the military junta in Niger Republic, the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Obi Aguocha, has cautioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resist any pressure to declare war against the Nigeria’s West African neighbour because of the grave implications.

The Labour Party lawmaker told Tinubu not to rush into war with Niger Republic in his bid to please the United States of America and France, as doing so could earn Nigeria the wrath of Russia.

Rep. Aguocha in a statement he personally issued yesterday, urged President Tinubu to jettison any war option as doing so would be putting Nigeria into unnecessary risks. “We are on the verge of being played by the US and France into going to war in defense of their interests and risking confrontation with Russia and the Wagner Group!

“May our government not turn out to be either incompetent or vainglorious or both. Now is the time to speak out.

May our government be properly guided. “ The lawmaker also argued that Nigeria cutting off power supply to Niger Republic was tantamount to breaching trade agreement she earlier entered into with her Francophone neighbour. “Those whom the gods want to destroy, they first make vain and mad!

“We are intending to violate treaty obligations to supply power to Niger Republic (in return for their not damming the River Niger upstream of Kainji and Jebba) in aid of inchoate foreign policy goals and objectives. “We are very broke, and can barely fund our debts to cushion the poor from severe economic hardship; the unemployed, and most especially the military to deal with multifaceted insurgence and domestic threats, yet we are roaring to go to war against the regime in Niamey.”

The lawmaker insisted that there were other better ways of resolving the political crises in Niger without resorting to war.