By Leshi Adebayo
As the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for its national convention billed to hold on Saturday, President Muhammadu Buhari has delegated his Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo to represent him at an extraordinary summit of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government in Accra, Ghana.
The purpose of the summit is to deliberate on the political situation in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.
This new development was made known in a statement on Friday, and signed by the SSA to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande.
According to the statement titled, “Osinbajo Represents President Buhari At ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit On Political Situation In Mali”, VP Osinbajo will be joined by other West African leaders to review the latest political developments in Mali following the decision dilemma of the country’s military junta to return to democracy.
Citing the progress made by ECOWAS mediator in Mali, Ex-Nigerian President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the statement noted, “The summit will receive and consider an updated report from ECOWAS Mediator in Mali, Former President Goodluck Jonathan who visited Bamako between March 18 to 20 to meet with the head of the junta. The Heads of State will also review the situations in the Republics of Burkina Faso and Guinea.”
“Having condemned the military take over of governments in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, imposing sanctions on the military junta in those countries, ECOWAS leaders at their last meeting in February affirmed that only democratically elected governments would be recognised and supported in West Africa.”
Prof Osinbajo, according to the statement, has been representing President Buhari since 2021 as the former is expected to “represent Nigeria at a series of ECOWAS leaders’ summits on the particular issue of undemocratic, military takeover of governments in the region”, the statement added.
In addition, VP Osinbajo, who is expected to be back in Nigeria later today, will be accompanied to the Summit by top Nigerian officials namely, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, Special Adviser on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu among others.
