Hama Amadou

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hama Amadou (born 1950) has been the Prime Minister of Niger twice, from 1995 to 1996 and again from 2000 to 2007. As of 2007, he is the President of the National Movement for the Development of Society-Nassara (MNSD).[1]

During the regime of Seyni Kountché, Amadou was Director-General of the Office of Radio Broadcasting and Television of Niger (ORTN) from 1983 to 1985 and became Director of the Cabinet in 1985. Following Kountché's death,[2] Amadou was named Minister of Information under his successor, Ali Saibou, on July 15, 1988, serving until December 20, 1989.[3]

At an MNSD congress held in November 1991, Amadou was elected as its Secretary-General, while Tandja Mamadou was elected as the President of the MNSD. [4]

Amadou was elected to the National Assembly in the February 1993 parliamentary election[5] as an MNSD candidate in Niamey.[6]

In another election held in January 1995, an opposition alliance, primarily composed of the MNSD and the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS), won a majority of seats, resulting in cohabitation between the government, led by Amadou, and the president, Mahamane Ousmane. Initially, the parliamentary majority put forward Amadou as its sole candidate for the position of prime minister, rather than submit three candidates from which Ousmane would choose the prime minister. Ousmane rejected this and appointed Amadou Cissé, also an MNSD member, as prime minister, but the parliamentary majority would not accept Cissé. Ousmane backed down and appointed Amadou as prime minister after two weeks, on February 21, 1995. Amadou and Ousmane came into sharp conflict with one another, and the political system became paralyzed by the dispute. Beginning in April, Ousmane refused to attend meetings of the Council of Ministers, Amadou replaced parastatal managers in July despite Ousmane's objections, and Amadou attempted to assume the presidential role with regard to the Council of Ministers. On January 27, 1996, a military coup led by Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara ousted both Amadou and Ousmane,[7] and they were both placed under house arrest for several months.[8]

On January 2, 1998, Amadou was arrested for allegedly leading a plot to assassinate Maïnassara.[9][10][11] He was released on bail on January 8,[10][11][12] but was charged with forming an illegal militia.[10][12] Amadou denied the charge and said that the arrest was political harassment and a means to distract the people.[10]

Maïnassara was assassinated in an April 1999 coup, and new elections were held in late 1999. The MNSD's presidential candidate, Tandja Mamadou, won the presidential election. In the parliamentary election, held in November, the MNSD again won the largest number of seats, and through an alliance with Ousmane's party, the Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama (CDS), it held a majority in the new parliament.

Amadou was again elected to the National Assembly in the 1999 parliamentary election as an MNSD candidate from Niamey, but left his seat[13] to become Prime Minister on January 3, 2000. On this occasion he told the deputies of the National Assembly that Niger faced a "disastrous" financial situation and that "the coffers are absolutely empty",[14][15] asking them to temporarily go without their salaries as deputies.[14]

As President of Niger, Tandja had to give up his position as President of the MNSD. Hamidou Sékou acted as interim president of the party[16] until Amadou, who was until that point the party's Secretary-General,[2] was elected as President of the MNSD on December 21, 2001.[17]

Amadou refused to rely on UN's food aid in 2005, stating that the harvest was enough and that such aid was an insult to Niger's dignity.[18]

Amadou's government lost a no-confidence vote on May 31, 2007, with 62 deputies out of 113 deputies in favor of the motion.[19][20] The vote was prompted by allegations of corruption regarding embezzled funds that had been intended for education.[20][21] Although supported by the MNSD deputies,[21] two other groups, including the CDS, joined the opposition Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) to form a majority against the government.[19][21] Amadou submitted his government's resignation immediately afterward; he called the vote an "expression of democracy" while also noting that the government had survived past no-confidence votes.[21]

As a result of the no-confidence vote, President Tandja Mamadou had the choice of naming a new prime minister or calling new elections.[20] He named Seyni Oumarou, one of three candidates selected by parliament, as prime minister on June 3; Oumarou had previously been part of Amadou's government as Minister of State for Equipment.[22]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Niger: la crise s'estompe après la formation d'un nouveau gouvernement", AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), June 10, 2007 (French).
  2. ^ a b "Politique: Hama Amadou est-il présidentiable?", Tamtaminfo.com, February 27, 2007 (French)
  3. ^ "GOUVERNEMENTS DU PRESIDENT ALI CHAIBOU", official site of the Nigerien presidency (French).
  4. ^ Myriam Gervais, "Niger: Regime Change, Economic Crisis, and Perpetuation of Privilege", in Political Reform in Francophone Africa (1997), ed. John F. Clark and David E. Gardinier, page 100.
  5. ^ "Afrique de l'Ouest - Niger - Cour suprême - 1993 - Arrêt no 93-10/cc du 18 mars 1993", droit.francophonie.org (French).
  6. ^ "Afrique de l'Ouest - Niger - Cour suprême - 1993 - Arrêt no 93-3/cc du 1er février 1993", droit.francophonie.org (French).
  7. ^ Jibrin Ibrahim and Abdoulayi Niandou Souley, "The rise to power of an opposition party: the MNSD in Niger Republic", Unisa Press, Politeia, Vol. 15, No. 3, 1996.
  8. ^ "Niger: A major step backwards", Amnesty International, 16 October 1996.
  9. ^ "Niger Police arrest three opposition leaders", BBC News Online, January 3, 1998.
  10. ^ a b c d "Niger: Former premier rejects charges of militia creation", IRIN West Africa Update 121, January 12, 1998.
  11. ^ a b André Salifou, "Evolution du processus démocratique nigérien de 1991 à 1999", democratie.francophonie.org (French).
  12. ^ a b "Former Prime Minister of Niger charged after release from detention", BBC News Online, January 9, 1998.
  13. ^ "List of deputies elected in the 1999 election by constituency, National Assembly website (2004 archive page) (French).
  14. ^ a b "No pay for Niger MPs", BBC News Online, January 3, 2000.
  15. ^ "Niger: New prime minister sworn in", IRIN, January 4, 2000.
  16. ^ "Les partis politiques nigériens, leurs leaders respectifs et les pratiques politiques inavouables", La Roue de l'Histoire (africatime.com), February 24 – March 1, 2004 (French).
  17. ^ "En piste pour la prochaine présidentielle, Le Premier ministre Hama Amadou désigné président de son parti", Afrique Express, January 2, 2002 (French).
  18. ^ "Niger food aid 'no longer needed'", BBC News Online, 16 September 2005.
  19. ^ a b "Niger's government dissolved", Associated Press (Independent Online), May 31, 2007.
  20. ^ a b c "Niger vote dissolves government", BBC News Online, May 31, 2007.
  21. ^ a b c d "Niger: Censure motion dismisses ruling govt.", African Press Agency, May 31, 2007.
  22. ^ "Niger: proche de son prédécesseur, Seyni Oumarou nommé Premier ministre", AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), June 3, 2007 (French).
Preceded by
Amadou Cissé		 Prime Minister of Niger
1995–1996		 Succeeded by
Boukary Adji
Preceded by
Ibrahim Hassane Mayaki		 Prime Minister of Niger
2000–2007		 Succeeded by
Seyni Oumarou
v • d • e
Prime Ministers of Niger
Diori • post abolished, 1960-83  • Oumarou • Algabid • Oumarou • post abolished, 1989-90  • Mahamidou • Cheiffou • Issoufou • Abdoulaye • Cissé • Amadou • Adji • Cissé • Mayaki • Amadou • Oumarou
 Flag of Niger