Buhari To Host ECOWAS Summit On Burkina Faso Crisis Today

President Muhammadu Buhari will today, 22nd September 2015, host an Extraordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja.

A statement issued on Monday by the senior special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed that discussions will basically center on the current political situation in Burkina Faso.

Last week, Buhari had condemned the detention of Burkina Faso’s Interim President, the Prime Minister and other ministers of that country’s transitional government in a coup d’etat.

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Accordingly, Buhari demanded the immediate release of Prime Minister Isaac Zida and other detained ministers.

A statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina had noted that the president and Nigeria aligned with ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations in rejecting the action of the presidential guards in Burkina Faso.

The statement noted that Buhari condemned the “brazen contravention of the constitution and transitional charter of Burkina Faso by elements of the Presidential Guard under the leadership of General Gilbert Diendere.

“President Buhari and Nigeria urge the Defense and Security Forces of Burkina Faso to keep faith with the agreed transitional programme for the return of the country to full democratic rule after elections, which were due to be held in the country on October 11, in support of which Nigeria has donated 20 pick-up vans to the National Electoral Commission of Burkina Faso”, he noted.

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Adesina added that the president who welcomed the news that the Interim President, Mr. Michel Kafando had now been freed, “also demand the immediate release of Prime Minister Isaac Zida and other detained ministers”.

The statement made further noted: “Nigeria will give the fullest possible support to ongoing efforts by the ECOWAS mediatory team of President Macky Sall of Senegal and President Boni Yayi of Benin Republic to quickly restore Burkina Faso to the path of order, democracy and constitutionalism.

“The President urges the people of Burkina Faso to remain calm and steadfast in support of the transitional order, elections and democratic governance with the full assurance that Nigeria, ECOWAS and the international community will uphold their right to peace, freedom, democracy and good governance”.

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