MALI CRISIS: Buhari returns as peace summit ends in deadlock

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday returned to Nigeria from Mali after the peace summit in the troubled West African country ended in deadlock.

President Buhari and some other leaders of West African countries, along with the ECOWAS Special Envoy led by former President Goodluck Jonathan had on Thursday attended a peace summit in Mali to end the ongoing crisis in the state.

Aside Buhari, other serving African leaders at the meeting were the host President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita; Niger President, Mahamadou Issoufou, who is the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS; Presidents Machy Sall of Senegal, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire.

Also at the meeting were the leader of the opposition, Imam Mahmoud Dicko and the representatives of the opposition alliance, M5 and Civil Society Organisations.

At the end, the meeting was unable to achieve the needed result.

In a statement on Friday, Buhari’s spokesman, Femi Adesina shared what transpired during the meeting,

He said at the meeting that the leaders listened to a brief by the ECOWAS Special Envoy, Jonathan.

“The host President also briefed the Heads of State and government on the socio-political situation in the country, especially the disagreements that spiralled into protests and violence.”

Adesina, however, noted that Issoufou, after many hours of consultations in the nation’s capital, Bamako, vowed that the sub-regional organisation would do all it could to mitigate political crisis in Mali.

Speaking to newsmen on the outcome of the meeting, Issoufou, said an extra-ordinary virtual meeting of ECOWAS Heads of State and government would be held on Monday 27 July, 2020, to further deliberate on the issues raised, with a view to finding a lasting solution to the crisis.

He said the sub-regional leaders had already agreed there would be a need for a compromise to protect the peace and integrity of the nation, adding that allowing a political crisis to fester in Mali would affect the security situation in West Africa, especially neighboring countries.

READ ALSO: ECOWAS ASSIGNMENT: Jonathan returns to Mali, joined by Buhari, four other African leaders

The ECOWAS Chairman commended Nigeria’s former President, Jonathan, for accepting to lead an initial mission to the country to broker peace, and make findings, while appreciating all the West African leaders who attended the meeting.

Earlier, Ghanaian President said that the ECOWAS protocol would be followed, explaining that the democratic tenet adopted by the sub-regional body clearly spells out that a President can only be voted into power, and voted out by election, except he completes his tenure.

The Ghanaian leader noted that the protocol would be adhered to ensure safety and peace in the sub-region.

A group M5, is insisting that the Constitutional Court must be dissolved, and Mali President resign before there would be peace in the country.

The group staged a protest that later led to the ongoing crisis in Mali after the court nullified results of 31 parliamentary seats in the polls held recently, awarding victory to some other contenders.

However, the protesting group accused President Keita of instigating the court ruling.

The crisis worsened after some protesters were killed on July 10 by security agents, a development that warranted ECOWAS envoy to the country.

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