By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh
Sheriff ML Gomez, former Minister of Interior in the Gambian government, has said the Gambia should partake in a military intervention in Niger to reinstate democracy if the West African regional bloc ECOWAS heads of state approved, noting that juntas should remain in barracks.
Gomez, who served as a state minister under President Yahya Jammeh, told The Fatu Network that The Gambia should participate in a military operation in Niger if all diplomatic attempts to restore order and reinstate ousted President Muhammed Bazoum by ECOWAS are unsuccessful.
“I think the Gambia should take part. Besides, the Gambia may not have all the choices on its own for so many reasons, that is why I think the Gambia should take part and stand tall with all the other countries in the subregion to stamp out this trend of reversing democracy by people in uniform believing that they have a solution. The place for men in uniform is in the barracks,” the former Gambian interior minister said.
According to him, Gambia’s regional obligation and the presence of ECOMIG forces in the country are reasons why it should participate in any military operation initiated by the ECOWAS to force junta leaders to surrender power to civilian governments.
However, he explained that military intervention should only come into play if diplomatic negotiations for the juntas to reinstate the ousted president did not go through, explaining that military intervention is not in the best interest of ECOWAS in Niger.
“The idea should be to explore all options on the table and then push them to the limit. When every option failed, that will be the right time to highlight military options,” he said.
With the rise of military coup d’état in West Africa, Gomez said the regional heads of state should look into the rationale behind coups in the region to put an end to them in the region.
The heads of state of ECOWAS had their second emergency summit today, August 10 in Abuja, Nigeria regarding the current political crisis in Niger. The leaders still have diplomatic means on the table, with military intervention still available on the table as well.
Today, the Junta’s in Niger appointed cabinet members, showing no sign of relinquishing power.
