Determined to ensure a prompt return of democratic rule to Guinea following the recent military coup, Nigeria has called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to maintain a short transition programme that will usher in a new civilian government in the country.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo stated this on Thursday while representing President Muhammadu Buhari at the Extraordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS member-states on the political situation in the Republics of Guinea and Mali, which held in Accra, Ghana.
Speaking at the Accra summit, Osinbajo restated Nigeria’s position calling for the unconditional release of President Condé and calling for more pressure to be put on the country’s military leaders to return the nation to democratic rule.
His Media Aide, Laolu Akande, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
According to the statement issued at the end of the extraordinary summit, ECOWAS leaders have resolved to freeze the financial assets of members of the military junta, place a travel ban on them, while also demanding that the junta return Guinea to constitutional rule within six months.
Recall that at the last summit of ECOWAS leaders which was held virtually on September 8, Nigeria, also represented by Osinbajo, condemned the coup d’etat in Guinea, calling for an unconditional release of President Alpha Conde and for stringent measures on Guinea’s military junta.
According to the Vice President, “it is also important that ECOWAS should simply insist that there should be an immediate return to civil rule.”
Calling for more stringent measures to be taken by the sub-regional body, Osinbajo said, “We must make sure that sanctions by ECOWAS achieve the intended objectives.”