Niger junta leader named as interim president
0 
Niger's junta Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy (CSRD) Monday declared its leader to be the country's interim president, and promised to draw up a new constitution.
According to a decree read on the radio, the CSRD is temporarily "the highest authority designing and directing national policy, headed by a president who exercises the functions of the head of state and government."
In addition, the CSRD will establish a transitional government and draw up a new constitution, it said.
Salou Djibo, who led the Feb. 18 military coup, was born in 1965, and was promoted to the position of sub-lieutenant in 1997. He became lieutenant in 1998, captain in 2003 and head of a military squad in 2006.
As the squad leader, Djibo had several military functions within the Nigerian Armed Forces (FAN).
The West African country has been suffering tension since President Mamadou Tandja established a new constitution last year to seek his third term, a move widely condemned as unconstitutional.
Last Thursday, a group of soldiers toppled President Tandja, and set up the CSRD. They immediately suspended "the constitution of the 6th Republic" and dissolved all institutions created under the constitution.
The United Nations (UN), African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had condemned the ousting of Tandja.
On Sunday, a joint mission of the UN, AU and ECOWAS visited the capital of Niger to mediate.
Go to Forum >>0 Comments