afrol News, 25 February - Members of the week-old military junta in Niger will not be allowed to contest the elections.

This has been an assurance given by the military authorities in Niamey following a recommitment to return the country to civilian rule.

However, no clear calendar has been hinted, as to when the elections will be held.

Media reports have quoted a spokesman for military rulers, Colonel Abdoul Karim Goukoye, as also committing to hold transparent and free elections.

Niger’s president, Mamadou Tandja, was overthrown last week by the army and has since been reportedly under house arrest, together with several members of his defunct cabinet.

Reports have also surfaced that countries such as Morocco have offered to take Mr Tandja into exile, but the military junta is yet to make a decision on that.

The army has said that its aim for overthrowing the government was the restoration of "an exemplary" democracy and good governance in Niger.

The coup d'état had been a reaction to President Tadja's unpopular and unconstitutional drive to maintain power in the impoverished country. Despite protests from Niger's constitutional court, parliament and foreign countries - including West Africa's regional block ECOWAS - President Tandja forced through a new constitution shortly before scheduled elections that allowed him to run for a third term in office.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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