Mahamadou issoufou biography of donald

Even though no military or government facility was attacked by those accused of plotting to overthrow the administration of Mr Issoufou, the president appears to be taking the issue seriously.

Some high-ranking military officers have been arrested and linked to the plot. More arrests are expected in the coming days.

Some people will however be relieved that the president has not linked the alleged coup attempt to the ongoing political crisis between him and the opposition over the preparation of next year's poll.

The opposition has accused the ruling party of interfering in the electoral process, which it denies.

Most people I have spoken to were shocked and dismayed about what they consider as yet another attempt to scuttle the country's fragile democracy.

People here are well aware of Niger's history of military coups.

Even the election that brought the current government to power was organised by a military junta which in 2010 overthrew President Mamadou Tandja, after he had attempted to change the constitution and extend his rule.

Mahamadou Issoufou (born 1951) was President of Niger from 7 April 2011, succeeding Salou Djibo.

Biography[]

Mahamadou Issoufou was born in 1951 to a family of SunniMuslimHausa. He was originally an engineer who rose to be National Director of Mines of Niger from 1980 to 1985 and Secretary-General of the Mining Company of Niger, but in February 1993 he entered politics when his Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) party won seats in the government. On 17 April 1993 he was made the Vice-President under President Mahamane Ousmane, but on 28 September 1994 Issoufu resigned after Ousmane passed laws limiting his power; the PNDS left the ruling coalition as a result. He supported Ibrahim Bare Mainassara in his coup against Ousmane at first, but he was later arrested alongside Ousmane and Mamadou Tandja in a pro-democracy protest. In 1999 Mainassara was overthrown and killed in another military coup, and Tandja seized power. Issoufou remained in the upper house of Niger while multiple crises plagued the country, and a 2009 constitutional crisis led to a 2010 coup against Tandja. Issoufou was elected President on 7 April 2011 after an interregnum, and he named Brigi Rafini as his Vice-President.

Under Issoufou's rule, Niger decided to commit troops to fighting t

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