With legislative elections scheduled for October 20 approaching, President Mamadou Tandja of Niger is beginning to hunt down members of the opposition, journalists and human rights activists who opposed the extension of his term of office by three years.
Local radio last week reported that three former deputies and a finance director of the now-dissolved parliament have been detained for the alleged misappropriation of funds.
Sixteen other former opposition members were freed temporarily by a judge after being arrested for embezzling or being an accomplice to embezzlement of state funds. About 30 other former opposition parliamentarians were put under surveillance after being interrogated by the police.
Also last week, Mahamadou Issoufou, the main leader of opposition to Tandja's regime, confirmed to the press that he was stopped at the airport by security officials as he was about to board a plane to Cotonou in Benin.
"I went to the airport and to my surprise officials told me that I had been prohibited from travelling out of the country," said Issoufou, who is president of the Democratic and Socialist Party (PNDS).
For his part, the human rights advocate Marou Amadou has been incarcerated since mid-August for calling on citizens to mobilize against any constitutional change. He has been censured for heading an undeclared organization, the united Front for Safeguarding Democratic Gains (Fusad). Abdoulaye Tiémogo, director of a private newspaper, has also been in detention for about a month for having "discredited a judicial decision" in a report.
Since Tanja won a referendum last month which saw his powers increased and his term of office as as head of state prolonged for at least three years, the political atmosphere in the country has been tense.
According to politicians such as Bazoum Mohamed, also recently released from detention, Tanja is doing all he can to discredit the opposition before the parliamentary elections.
Article adapted and translated from the original French by Michael Tantoh.
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What is President Mamadou afraid of if he feels he is doing the right thing democratically? You can not change the constitution at the middle of an election and start hunting down members of the opposition, jounalists and human right activists who do not like what ever reason the president may have to give himself extra 3 more years in office.Mr.President Mamadou,if you really think you're doing what is right and playing by the rules,why are you hunting down members of the opposition and journalists who disagree with your self centered agenda?May be you're guilty thats why you're afraid.Please do not rule by fear.People of Niger,have God given rights to reject your action[s]thats how democracy works in any civilised Nation may be you're telling your Country men and women that they are not yet civilised democratically and only you should think for them on what they want.Remember,any Government that fails to serve the people but himself never survives.It is about time some African politicians, although one will not call them leaders, should emulate a leader from South Africa Nelson Mandela.He is a leader because he cares for his people and mankind as whole.You see, politicians only care about next election[s]and political power as President Mamadou Tandja.