Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), says there is still room for the leadership of the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS) to engage in dialogue to resolve the political
crisis in the Niger Republic.

George spoke on Tuesday while appearing on Arise TV, in
reaction to a proposed military intervention in the Francophone country by the
ECOWAS.

The regional body has asked the military junta to reinstate
the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

Tinubu, the ECOWAS chairperson, had written the national
assembly about the organisation’s resolve to intervene in Niger which he said
would be a last resort if the military junta in the country failed to shift
ground.

“When they meet tomorrow, I am advising that there’s enough
room for dialogue, and the underlining crisis that is engaging all these
francophone countries today dates back to the French approach to their own
system of colonialism,” he said.

“While the British had colonies, the French had the
principle of assimilation. In other words, they didn’t let go. There’s no
French country in the whole of Africa where the French government does not have
a minimum of a battalion stationed there.”

George, a formal national vice chairman of the PDP, said
there is no benefit in invading Niger, noting that there are other West African
countries, also under military rule that have joined forces with the Nigerien
troops in anticipation of an attack.

“You learn from your experiences. We were in ECOMOG, which
was the country that was responsible militarily, financially, and
personnel-wise for the armed forces. We did extremely well. What was the
benefit to Nigeria?” George asked.

“Before you consider going to war as a nation, you teach
your boys the national interest of your country; anything that falls out of
that is not a major concern to you, but if anybody infringes on your national
interest, then you can go to war because you are going there to defend
something so vital to your country.

“Learning from the ECOMOG experience, how can we now go to
Niger? What is the benefit? My appeal is that the ECOWAS heads of state should
be more careful.

 “The Ukraine-Russia
war today has lingered on for over a year; they are still fighting, and
innocent people are dying. War is not a tea party, and it is better to jaw-jaw
than war-war.

“I am talking from experience and the fact that Niger is not
the only country in the whole geo-political belt of the francophone countries
that have a military administration, from Guinea to Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger,
Chad, and Sudan.

“That takes you from the west Atlantic all the way to the
Red Sea, right across the whole belt of Africa in the Sahara. Why Niger?”

An ultimatum from ECOWAS to the coup plotters to reinstate
Bazoum or risk a military intervention expired on Sunday.

The bloc said it will meet on Thursday to discuss how to
proceed on the crisis in the Niger Republic.