Gowon spurns invitation to address ECOWAS crises

Bloc to discuss lifting of Niger sanctions at extraordinary summit

AFRESH move by the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS) to return Burkina Faso, Niger and Mail to the group may have hit a brick wall, as former Head of State and one of the founding fathers of the subregional body, General Yakubu Gowon ( rtd), yesterday, turned down an invitation to wade into the crises bedeviling the organisation.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with ECOWAS Commission, had invited journalists to a “Press Conference” with Gowon at the group’s headquarters in Abuja by 9.00 meeting venue was moved a. m. to a nearby hotel where

He was expected to speak journalists spent addion the current state of aftional one hour waiting befairs at the regional level fore the organisers with regards to coups and announced that the meetsubsequent threats by ing has been postponed. No Niger, Mali and Burkina new date was fixed for the Faso to exit the bloc, and event. perhaps, proffer lasting soRecall that the three mililutions to the challenge. tary juntas, on January 28, Gowon’s invitation was anannounced their intention other step aimed at brokerto quit the body over alleing peace among member gation of ECOWAS becomstates. But two hours after, ing a threat to its members, there was no sign of his of being “under the influcoming. Rather, informaence of foreign powers, and tion filtered in that the of betraying its founding elder statesman may have principles.” declined the in vite. A day after, the leadership

As if to exonerate itself expressed concern over the from the controversy, the countries’ decision, noting that that unelected leaders were engagin g in a public posture to deny their people the sovereign right to make fundamental choices. ECOWAS has been calling on the three nations to return to civilian rule, by imposing sanctions and denying them plans for lengthy democratic transitions.

Recently, the Mediation and Security Council ( MSC) at the Ministerial Level, which held in Abuja, urged the aggrieved nations to prioritise dialogue and reconciliation.