President Muhammadu Buhari will host an Extraordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government tomorrow, Tuesday, September 22, in Abuja.
According to a statement by the Senior a Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, Shehu Garba, the main item on the agenda of the summit is the current political situation in Burkina Faso.
The transitional government of Burkina Faso was last Thursday dissolved after an overthrow led by the country’s Regiment of Presidential Security one month ahead of general elections.
Presidential guard officers loyal to former President Blaise Compaore, who ruled for 27 years, had stormed a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Ouagadougou, the country’s capital, on Wednesday and arrested interim President Michel Kafando and Prime Minister Isaac Zida.
Gilbert Diendere, who was chief of staff to Campaore, was named the country’s new leader by the presidential guard.
The coup came weeks before an Oct. 11 vote meant to mark a return to democracy after demonstrators toppled President Blaise Compaore last year as he attempted to extend his 27-year rule.
The uprising became a beacon for democratic aspirations in Africa at a time when veteran rulers from Rwanda to Congo Republic are seeking to scrap term limits.
Under the proposal announced by Sall, who is the current chairman of the West African block ECOWAS, the date of the polls could be pushed back to as late as Nov. 22.
According to a statement by the Senior a Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, Shehu Garba, the main item on the agenda of the summit is the current political situation in Burkina Faso.
The transitional government of Burkina Faso was last Thursday dissolved after an overthrow led by the country’s Regiment of Presidential Security one month ahead of general elections.
Presidential guard officers loyal to former President Blaise Compaore, who ruled for 27 years, had stormed a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Ouagadougou, the country’s capital, on Wednesday and arrested interim President Michel Kafando and Prime Minister Isaac Zida.
Gilbert Diendere, who was chief of staff to Campaore, was named the country’s new leader by the presidential guard.
The coup came weeks before an Oct. 11 vote meant to mark a return to democracy after demonstrators toppled President Blaise Compaore last year as he attempted to extend his 27-year rule.
The uprising became a beacon for democratic aspirations in Africa at a time when veteran rulers from Rwanda to Congo Republic are seeking to scrap term limits.
Under the proposal announced by Sall, who is the current chairman of the West African block ECOWAS, the date of the polls could be pushed back to as late as Nov. 22.
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