The Nigerien streets are against the Mahamadou Issoufou, whose political party PNDS brought misfortune to the them.
As Niamey’s popular mobilization shows, Nigerien people are critical of the country’s elites’ grabbing of wealth. In power for 12 years (2011-2023), the PNDS was a true Party-State incarnated by former President Issoufou in which clientelism and opportunism dominate the electoral and political logic. Nigerien people massively reject the corruption of these elites.
The attack and burning of the PNDS’ headquarters on 27 July was the result of a spontaneous outcry of anger that presented itself as a social revenge by protesters from popular, urban and Zarma social classes. Targeting the PNDS means to attack directly the system of wealth capture by elites’ classes of Hausas.
President Mohamed Bazoum has sought to govern by reforming the PNDS, without disrupting “violently” the internal balance of power. This has been his mistake not moving away the Issoufou’s system.
It should be noted that Abderrahmane Tchiani is the new guardian of Issoufou’s wealth collection system and the tool for a return to power of the former president.
General Adberrahmane Tchiani is an unofficial pawn of the Issoufou’s system. More than a close relationship, Tchiani owes everything to the former president: Issoufou appointed Tchiani to lead the Presidential Guard in April 2011.
In addition, Tchiani’s father allegedly knows personally the former head of state and both families are supposed to belong to common Hausas’ networks. While the replacement of Tchiani had been mentioned several times by Mohamed Bazoum, Issoufou had insisted Bazoum keeps him into post.
The Conseil National pour la Sauvegarde de la Patrie’s president, General Chiani, is not immune to embezzlement and corruption. He thus owns numerous villas in Niamey, financed with embezzlement.
One of the motivations of his coup is the fact that President Bazoum wanted to introduce accountability in the Presidential Guard. The putschist general does not care about Nigeriens, he only wants to hold a dominant position to avoid his illegal activities being investigated. This cease of power is just another opportunity to divert funds.
Entirely dependent on the good will of former President Issoufou, General Tchiani encouraged the latter to return to power, working behind the scenes to regain his influence or to grab himself the power in the short term.
All belonging to the Issoufou’s system, the putschists will only duplicate this system of predation to the detriment of the Nigerien people.
Brigadier General Mohamed Toumba hijacks the per diem due to soldiers in mission. Like other putschists, General Toumba is taking advantage of his position to enrich himself. He is not a member of the group, but a member of the very elites whom he claims to be fighting against now.
The new oil and mines minister, Mahaman Moustapha Barké, is the former CEO of SOPAMIN (Niger Mining), accused of embezzlement. He was appointed to this strategic position, to seize the large revenues for the benefit of the junta.
Colonel Maizama Abdoulaye, Minister of Water Supply, Sanitation and Environment was General Secretary of the High Commission for the “3N” Initiative, established by Mahamadou Issoufou, prior to the coup. He has misappropriated money aimed to fight famine, he is one of those who steal food from people.
In addition, SONIBANK in Niamey was reportedly forced to donate 500 million FCFA to sponsor the demonstration held on 2023,August 6th at the Seyni Kountché stadium. If financial difficulties persist, the junta may also be tempted to seize bank accounts, including the accounts of individuals, under false pretenses. The junta is stealing the savings of the Nigerian as their government once did.
The junta will duplicate the Malian and Burkinabe examples, preferring to steal people’s money to ensure their survival. In Mali, for example, Lamine Seydou Traore used his position at the Ministry of Mines to embezzle tens of billions of FCFA. The other coup leaders, Assimi Goita, Sadio Camara, and Modibo Kone, all profited from their positions to divert public money for their own advantage.
The bottom line is that the Nigerian people will suffer from the junta as they did from Issoufou. Regime change is a sham, because the roots of evil will always linger with Issoufou’s heirs. Contrary to his declarations, the junta owes everything to Mahamadou Issoufou, who sees himself coming back to power in a near future.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James is an African affairs analyst
