UN African bodies meet Tandja in bid to defuse Niger crisis
Mamadou Tandja
After a decade of rare stability in the region  Niger has in recent weeks been plunged into serious political crisis arising from Tandja's desire to extend his stay in power after his mandate expires this year.
 At the end of two five-year terms as elected head of state  Tandja  71  is due to leave office by December 22  but instead he has defied the country's top court and decided to hold a referendum on August 4 on a new constitution.
 The proposed constitution would enable him to hang on to power for three years and then to run for office again for unlimited terms.
 After defying the constitutional court Tandja assumed emergency powers which saw him dissolve the court as well as parliament and crack down on independent media.
Tandja  71  is due to leave office by December 22  but instead he has defied the country's top court and decided to hold a referendum on August 4 on a new constitution.
 After defying the constitutional court Tandja assumed emergency powers which saw him dissolve the court as well as parliament and crack down on independent media.
 The opposition has slammed Tandja's action as akin to a coup d'etat.
 ECOWAS is brandishing economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation if Tandja presses ahead with the referendum.
After a decade of rare stability in the region  Niger has in recent weeks been plunged into serious political crisis arising from [TGT]'s desire to extend [TGT] stay in power after [TGT] mandate expires this year.
 At the end of two five-year terms as elected head of state  Tandja  71  is due to leave office by December 22  but instead he has defied the country's top court and decided to hold a referendum on August 4 on a new constitution.
 The proposed constitution would enable him to hang on to power for three years and then to run for office again for unlimited terms.
 After defying the constitutional court [TGT] assumed emergency powers which saw him dissolve the court as well as parliament and crack down on independent media.
Tandja  71  is due to leave office by December 22  but instead he has defied the country's top court and decided to hold a referendum on August 4 on a new constitution.
 After defying the constitutional court [TGT] assumed emergency powers which saw him dissolve the court as well as parliament and crack down on independent media.
 The opposition has slammed [TGT]'s action as akin to a coup d'etat.
 ECOWAS is brandishing economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation if [TGT] presses ahead with the referendum.