Niger: Former Minister Ibrahim Yacouba Launches Opposition Coalition

Niger’s former minister of foreign affairs, Ibrahim Yacouba, has just created his own political coalition and fired his first red ball to the present administration.

The launching ceremony of this “Patriotic Front” took place this Saturday, June 9 in Niamey.

The fifth front of the political parties of the opposition and the civil society has just been born. The newborn is called the “Patriotic Front” and is chaired by former Foreign Minister Ibrahim Yacouba.

In a hall of the Palais des Congrès filled with activists, he fired red balls on his friends yesterday.

“This government has only one plan: to establish an authoritarian regime, where there is no contrary opinion.”

The Patriotic Front says to base its policy on young people and civil society. Hence a nod to the leaders of civil society in prison: “We are proud of the Nigerien civil society. He has no coup plot.”

For the President of the Patriotic Front, the fruit is at hand. He already sounds the mobilization. “Do not be indifferent, we will fight!”

At the Patriotic Front, there is also talk of a “generational break”. “We are a doubly opposed front,”says his vice president. “Because we are not only opposed to the regime in place but we are also opposed to a whole political class from the national conference. And so, we are a front that advocates breaking up.”

The creation of this new front is already cringe. All the other leaders of the radical opposition shone by their absence at the launch of this new front.