The ongoing political turmoil in Niger, coupled with the looming threat of military intervention from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) against the Nigerien coup leaders, has deeply concerned Bénin’s opposition party, Les Démocrates. In a press release issued on Saturday, August 5, 2023, the party’s president, Eric Houndété, stated that the military takeover in Niger not only plunges the neighboring nation into a challenging predicament but also attracts “opportunists who habitually exploit such crises for their own gain.”
Les Démocrates, he conveyed, “unequivocally condemns any seizure of power by force, regardless of its manifestation, and laments the renewed frequency and spread of coups d’état across West Africa.” The leader of Bénin’s opposition further elaborated that “these incidents primarily emerge within political and socio-economic landscapes characterized by pervasive injustice, curtailment of freedoms, exploitation of citizens, the monopolization of shared resources by an elite class, systematic public harassment, the subversion of institutions, obstruction of popular will, exclusion, and the manipulation of both constitutions and elections.”
Despite these observations, Les Démocrates urged ECOWAS member states to prioritize diplomacy, and particularly dialogue, as the primary method for conflict resolution, reflecting the diverse values and cultures prevalent in the region. The party also advocated for proactive prevention by vigorously and transparently combating “constitutional coups,” poor governance, and exclusion throughout the ECOWAS bloc. The political group, led by Deputy Eric Houndété, also raised critical questions regarding “the legal basis for declaring war on a fellow member state of our economic community” and “the specific mechanisms through which the Government intends to seek parliamentary approval to commit our children, our siblings, our fellow citizens to a war against a neighboring nation.”
Consequently, the party expressed concern, asking “who will bear the financial burden of this war effort.” Eric Houndété emphasized that rather than encouraging heads of state to “embark on the perilous, hazardous, and ill-advised path of military force,” his party implores the Béninois government to “become proponents of dialogue, negotiation, reconciliation, and mutual understanding.” He asserted that this approach is “a guarantee of peace for the sister Republic of Niger and ensures the preservation of common interests shared by our two peoples and two states.” Therefore, Les Démocrates “reaffirms its proposal and demand for national political dialogue, viewing it as an essential catalyst for fostering peace and development within our own country.”
