Yakubu Gowon, a former head of state of Nigeria and one of the ECOWAS’s founding fathers, has declined an invitation to step in and help resolve the conflicts plaguing the organization.
Newsmen were invited to a “press conference” with Gowon at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the ECOWAS Commission.
He was supposed to talk about the current situation in the region, specifically the coups and the threats made by the Republic of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to leave the organization. He might also give long-term remedies to the problems.
It has been reported that the three military juntas in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger on January 28, announced their intention to exit ECOWAS over allegation of the regional body becoming a threat to its members, being “under the influence of foreign powers and of betraying its founding principles.”
They also accused the regional body of not supporting them in their fight against terrorism and insecurity, while imposing illegal, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions against them, following coups.
News360 Info recalls that ECOWAS has been calling on the three countries to return to civilian rule by imposing sanctions and denying them plans for lengthy democratic transitions.
