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Mohamed Bazoum was sworn in as President of the Republic of Niger. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Mahatma Gandshi conference center in Niamey on Friday afternoon. It comes despite a failed coup earlier this week.
This is ** the first democratic transition of power in Niger since independence from France in 1960 **.
Outgoing President Mahamadou Issoufou, who resigned after two five-year terms, handed power to Mohammed Bazoum. Bazoum, the 61-year-old former Minister of the Interior had been Issoufou’s right-hand man.
A coup attempt failed Tuesday night after a military unit attempted to seize the presidential palace. The attackers, from a nearby air base, reportedly fled after the presidential guard met their attack with heavy shelling and gunfire.
Government spokesman Abdourahamane Zakaria said several people had been arrested while others were still wanted, but the situation was under control.
“The government condemns this cowardly and retrograde act which aims to endanger democracy and the rule of law in which our country is resolutely committed, ”he declared at a press conference. Niger has experienced four military coups since independence.
On Wednesday, outgoing President Mahamadou Issoufou presided over the swearing-in ceremony of two new members of the Constitutional Court and bade farewell to the presidential staff.
It was the Constitutional Court which validated the results of the second round of the elections in February which declared Mohammed Bazoum the winner over his rival, Mahamane Ousmane.
Ousmane still disputes the results and on March 22 he called on the opposition not to sit in the National Assembly and to disregard orders from an “illegal and illegitimate” authority.
Mahamane Ousmane, a former president refused to give in and instead took his case to court, sparking massive demonstrations by supporters who have since been suppressed.
It remains to be seen whether his call or rejection of the election results will have any impact on the attempted coup.
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