President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has joined fellow West-African leaders in Abuja, Nigeria, to deliberate on the critical political situation unfolding in Niger.
Last week, President Akufo-Addo, along with other ECOWAS leaders, agreed on a collective decision to deploy military forces if the military junta in Niger does not reinstate the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, within one week.
However, there are indications of a potential shift in this initial decision.
Reports suggest that during an emergency summit, ECOWAS Chairperson Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria's president, emphasized the need to exhaust all measures before proceeding with the deployment of troops.
Background A military coup was declared in Niger on Wednesday, July 26, leading to the captivity of President Mohamed Bazoum at the presidential palace in Niamey.
Calls for the immediate release of the president have come from various quarters, including the United States and ECOWAS.
On July 30, ECOWAS issued a one-week ultimatum for the junta to relinquish power and imposed financial sanctions on the coup leaders and the country.
Despite these pressures, the junta did not yield.
On August 10, the coup plotters announced the establishment of a new government shortly before the scheduled ECOWAS meeting on the same day.
