Mali crisis: Jonathan, Buhari meet, suggests next action

Heads of State and Governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), at the behest of their Chairman, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, may confer again to discuss outstanding grey areas in the Mali political situation, President Muhammadu Buhari has indicated. The President spoke after receiving a briefing at the State House, Abuja on Monday, from the ECOWAS Special Envoy to Mali, former Nigerian President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. Mali has appointed a civilian as Interim President, who will stay in office for 18 months, and lead the country…

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Mali’s military junta announces transition president

Mali’s military junta announced the leaders of a new transition government in the Sahel state on Monday, which will retain strong army links despite international pressure to appoint civilians after a coup. Junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita said in a televised statement that former defence minister Bah Ndaw would become transition president — while he himself would serve as vice president. The announcement comes after the 15-nation West Africa bloc ECOWAS last week gave Mali’s ruling officers “days” to appoint civilian leaders, warning that it would not lift sanctions on…

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Mali crisis: Military, ECOWAS talks end in deadlock

Talks between West African nations and Mali’s new junta ended on Monday without a deal on how the country should return to civilian rule following last week’s coup, negotiators said. It would be recalled that soldiers had on August 18, ousted Mali’s government in a coup. The act was strongly condemned by ECOWAS, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN). ECOWAS – the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States — sent a high-level delegation to Bamako on Saturday, led by former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, to press…

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We must return sanity to Mali, Buhari tasks ECOWAS leaders

The Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari has joined ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments in calling for immediate release of President Ibrahim Keita of Mali, and a return to Constitutional order in the country. At a virtual ECOWAS Extraordinary Session on the situation in Mali, the President said that the removal of the Malian leader could spiral into more crises in the country, with devastating consequences for the West African sub-region. A coup d’tat in the already troubled West African country on Tuesday overthrew the democratically elected government of President Boubacar…

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ECOWAS leaders take tough decisions on Mali crisis

West African leaders on Monday adopted a tough four-point plan in a bid to resolve Mali’s political crisis, including calling for the resignations of 31 parliamentarians elected in disputed polls and for the swift creation of a unity government.  In a statement issued after an extraordinary video summit, heads of the 15-nation, West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, stood by Mali’s embattled President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. But the bloc also called for a unity government to be “established rapidly” and urged the opposition to join it. Addressing demands by protestors that Keita…

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Insecurity: PDP may chase us away from power in 2023 – Masari warns

Katsina state governor, Aminu Bello Masari has warned stakeholders and members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state to make up from their slumber to avert being chased away from government in the coming elections because of insecurity. He also urged them to intensify their support in the ongoing war against banditry, robbery and cattle rustling in the state. The governor made the call while speaking with the chairmen and stakeholders of APC from the state 361 wards and 34 Local government chairmen during an interactive meeting. He…

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