Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The second virtual extraordinary summit of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government is currently ongoing with President Muhammadu Buhari participating form the Council Chambers in Abuja.
Physically present with the President at the Council Chambers are the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada.
Others are National Security Adviser Major General Babagana Monguno (rted), Director General National Intelligence Agency, Abubakar Ahmed Rufai and the two Presidential Spokespersons, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu among others.
The extraordinary summit is to review the socio-political situation in Mali, following the recent coup in the West African country and the request of the military to rule for three years before elections are held in that country.
ECOWAS had since announced sanctions against Mali and the military is already complaining that the sanctions are bitting hard.
The summit, being chaired by current ECOWAS Chairman and President of Niger Republic, Mahmadou Issoufu is also expected to consider the report of ECOWAS Envoy to Mali, former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, who recently returned from Mali, where he interacted with the coup plotters.
Details later…