General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the leader of the Niger Republic junta, yesterday said that the army would hand over power to a civilian government within the next three years.
He also said that in one month’s time, the junta would form a committee to begin to work on a new constitution of the country.
Tchiani stated this in his speech in a nationwide address on national television on Saturday night.
He made the speech shortly after meeting with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) delegation led by former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).
As of the time Tchiani addressed Nigeriens, the ECOWAS delegation was still in Niamey.
It is not clear how the ECOWAS leaders will react to the latest position of the junta.
Tchiani emphasized that while Niger does not want to go to war and the military leaders’ door is open for discussions, they will defend themselves if the need arises.
Meanwhile, a senior envoy of the United Nations on Saturday arrived Niamey for further talks with the military rulers.
Earlier yesterday, Abdulsalami had told journalists that the ECOWAS delegation’s meeting with the junta went well and had opened a door for further talks.
The meeting was a last-ditch diplomatic effort to reach a peaceful solution with the military rulers who overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.
The delegation met with Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine who received them at the airport.
