BEVERLY HILLS, January 12, (THEWILL) – President Muhammadu Buhari will today (Friday) depart Abuja for Banjul, capital of The Gambia, to mediate in the political crisis in the country. The trip which would also see the President travelling to Bamako, the Malian capital, will stretch to January 14, 2017.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, stating that in Banjul, Buhari is scheduled to meet with President Yahya Jammeh and President-elect Adama Barrow.
Adesina said Buhari would be joined at the ECOWAS mediation meeting by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia and chairperson of the Authority of ECOWAS heads of state and government, and President Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone.
The immediate past president of Ghana, John Mahama, who is the co-meditator of The Gambian mission, will also join the ECOWAS leaders at the meeting which is in continuation of dialogue on the political situation in the West African country.
The statement said later on January 13, the president will travel to Bamako, Mali to participate in the 27th Africa–France Summit.
The summit for partnership, peace and emergence, convened by French President Francois Hollande, is aimed at strengthening cooperation between France and African countries in areas of peace and security, economic partnership and development.
Recognising the role played by France in the successes so far recorded in the implementation of the regional initiative against terrorism, Adesina said Buhari would reaffirm Nigeria’s commitment to global efforts on the war against terror and underline the need for improved collaboration to address the menace of terrorism in the region.
The presidential spokesman said his principal would also use the opportunity of the summit to underscore the efforts his administration was making to improve Nigeria’s business environment to attract more foreign direct investment.
“The president will be accompanied by Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo, the ministers of foreign affairs, interior and defence,” the statement added.
