PM News
The Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) has insisted on a shorter period for transition to democracy in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who attended the meeting told newsmen about the bloc’s decision after an Extraordinary Summit in Accra, Ghana.
The vice president said that although sanctions imposed by ECOWAS on countries where coups had taken place persisted, there should be no excuse for a prolonged transition back to democracy in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso.
“The major issues are the extent of compliance in the countries where there have been coups, which are Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, in particular, Mali.
“We received a report from the ECOWAS Mediator for Mali, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and his report was that we are at a point where the Malian authorities want longer period of transition but obviously ECOWAS is insisting on a much shorter period for transition.
When the communique is issued it will reflect ECOWAS position which is that there is no excuse for long transition.
“And all that is required in the electoral process is to ensure that there should be free and fair elections; and there should be no extended period of transition,” he stated.
Osinbajo said that the authority was firm on the resolve that coups would not be tolerated and that it was completely undemocratic.
According to him, a few people cannot impose their way on the majority of the people of a country no matter what their motive may be.
“The whole point of democracy is that each individual has a right to choose his or her leader.
“I think that outrage has been well expressed by the Authority of the Heads of State and by the people of the ECOWAS region that we are in a democracy and we are not going to go back,” he said…
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