Nigeria, others help restore democracy in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso’s interim President Michel Kafando yesterday said he is back in charge and civilian rule restored after last week’s military takeover.
His announcement came as coup leader Gen Gilbert Diendere went to welcome six African leaders arriving to oversee the transfer of power.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the meeting in Quagadougou.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande, said in a statement that this is “a follow-up to yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) extra-ordinary session of the ECOWAS leaders in Abuja regarding the situation in Burkina Faso.”
Gen Diendere’s presidential guard had earlier agreed to a deal overnight with the regular army to avoid violence. They pledged to return to barracks and the army to withdraw from the capital.
The presidential guard is loyal to Blaise Compaore, the country’s ruler who was ousted in a popular uprising last year.
The elite troops installed Diendere as the leader last week - a month before elections had been due in the country.
Mr Kafando told journalists “Dear compatriots, I am free of my movements and resuming service. The transition is back and is resuming the exercise of power.
However, he said he was not fully committed to the plan, put together on Tuesday by West African presidents at an emergency meeting of the regional bloc ECOWAS.
It is not clear whether the mediators’ peace plan includes key RSP demands for an amnesty for the coup leaders and the lifting of an electoral ban on those connected to Mr Compaore.
“We are proud of the mobilisation and fearlessness of the people of Burkina Faso, in particular of its youth, whose determination has stopped” the coup succeeding, Mr Kafando said.
“I salute the international community for having rejected unequivocally this action…
“Regarding the ECOWAS proposals for a solution to the crisis, it is obvious that we will only commit to them if they take into account the will of the Burkinabes.”
He had been detained during a cabinet meeting last Wednesday.