Nigeria’s Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo is representing President Muhammadu Buhari at a meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) over the recent coups in Guinea and Mali.
The meeting today, November 7 in Accra, Ghana’s capital city comes after Alpha Conde, Guinea president, was ousted from office and detained by military forces led by Mamady Doumbouya in September while Mali’s coup that overthrew President Ibrahim Keita took place in August 2020.
Both incidents drew international condemnation, with the African Union (AU) suspending both countries.
In a statement on Sunday, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo’s spokesman, said the meeting will review the political situation in the two countries.
“Today’s Extraordinary meeting, which will be the third on the same agenda this year, will assess previous resolutions and further review the political situation in the Republics of Guinea and Mali,” the statement reads.
“Prof. Osinbajo had participated at the 2nd ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit on the political situation in Guinea and Mali held on 16th September in Accra, Ghana. Before that, he also attended a virtual ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit held on 8th September on the same agenda.
“Nigeria’s position on the situation in Guinea had been restated by Prof. Osinbajo at the summit, urging for the unconditional release of President Alpha Condé and calling for more pressure to be put on the country’s military leaders to return the nation to democratic rule.
“Vice President Osinbajo, who leaves Abuja this morning, would be joined by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, and is expected back in Abuja later today.”
