By Abiola Olawale
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria who also doubles as the Chairman, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is set to preside over an extraordinary meeting of the later body in Abuja, today.
Feelers have said the ECOWAS during its meeting will discuss the possible suspension of all sanctions imposed on Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, who are under military rule after juntas overthrew the civilian governments of all three countries.
Sources from the presidential villa said the decision is on the top as part of the ways to negotiate with the three alienated states out of their decision to withdraw.
Headquartered in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, the nearly 50-year-old bloc consists of 15 countries.
The New Diplomat reports that the military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger January 28, announced their withdrawal from the West African bloc ECOWAS. The withdrawal came after the trio had been suspended following military coups that overthrew elected civilian governments.
The three countries, while announcing their withdrawal, alleged that France was instrumentalising ECOWAS. They also alleged that the bloc had fallen under the influence of some other foreign governments whose interests, they said, were far from the peoples’.
