Behind Niger's coup, a feud over the former president's legacy

FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou to attend a summit on the situation in the Sahel region in the southern French city of Pau, France, January 13, 2020. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/Pool/File Photo

NIAMEY (Reuters) - Niger's coup was the culmination of months of acrimony between President Mohamed Bazoum and his chief guard over the leader's attempts to emerge from the shadow of his predecessor, people familiar with the matter said.

Since taking over from his political godfather Mahamadou Issoufou in 2021, Bazoum had sought to stamp his authority on the West African country by sidelining a number of senior people in both the military and public administration.