Two weeks after the military junta ousted a democratically elected government in Niger Republic, the coup plotters are said to have appointed a former economist as the country’s new prime minister.
The spokesperson for the military junta, who made the announcement on live television late Monday night, declared Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine as Niger’s new PM.
Lamine Zeine previously served as an economist for the African Development Bank in Chad and also acted as the former minister of economy and finance under the then President, Mamadou Tandja, whose administration was also overthrown by the military in 2010.
Recall, All Legit News had reported how the military junta in Niger put an end to President Mohamed Bazoum’s government and suspended the country’s constitution.
Bazoum, who was a loyal ally to the West, was accused of failing to help Niger in her fight against Islamic terrorists in the Sahel. He was also accused of worsening the economy under his leadership.
ECOWAS issued an ultimatum to the coup plotters to return Bazoum as Niger’s legitimate Head of State, but it expired over the weekend. The West African bloc had already imposed a series of sanctions on Niger, as well as stating that they may use force if that is the last resort to return the country’s democracy.
Leaders of ECOWAS states are expected to meet in Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja on Thursday to decide on the best course of action.