The lawmaker representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Senator Abdul Ningi, has expressed the need for a joint National Assembly session before deploying Nigerian Armed Forces for war.
He noted that the Senate told President Bola Tinubu to rule out war as part of moves to restore democracy in the Niger Republic.
The lawmaker stated this during an interview on Channels TV.
Ningi emphasized, “He has the right to ask (for permission), but the Constitution has stipulated some conditions. For him to ask the Nigerian Armed Forces to go into war, there needs to be a joint sitting, not only the Senate but the National Assembly.
“He sent us a letter enumerating what is happening in ECOWAS, and we read it, and we told him point blank that war is off the table, deal with other issues.”
Senator Ningi praised ECOWAS for their endeavours to address the political upheaval in the Niger Republic, stating coups are unacceptable, “There is nothing under or above the table that should attract a coup.”
Highlighting the deep-rooted bond between Nigeria and Niger, Ningi observed that both nations are nearly identical, separated only by colonial-era boundaries.
He underscored the closeness by mentioning the use of the naira as legal tender in Niger.
While recognizing the need to address the coup, Ningi advocated for solutions beyond military intervention.