From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to Mail’s military junta transitional government plans to hold unto power for the next five years despite insistence by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that they limit the transition period to 18 months.
Buhari, who spoke when he received a Special Envoy from Col. Assimi Goita, Transitional President of Mali, however, said only Malians could resolve their problems.
He pledged that Nigeria would do its best to support Mali within the requirements of ECOWAS.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said Mali’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, Col. Abdoulaye Maiga, had led a team, which briefed President Buhari on conclusions from the National Conference on State-Rebuilding held in Bamako in December, 2021.
Responding to the briefing, Buhari said: “Nobody could love Mali more than Malians themselves.”
He counselled that everyone should work within the tenets of ECOWAS in order to restore constitutional order to Mali at the shortest possible time.
“I am pleased you have briefed the ECOWAS chairman too. Nigeria will work within ECOWAS limitations to assist Mali. Every country has its issues. We fought our own civil war before, so we may not know the totality of the internal politics of each country. But we will make as much sacrifice as we can for Mali, within ECOWAS requirements.”
The special envoy expressed gratitude to Nigeria for supporting the country and for the help rendered by the ECOWAS Mediation Team, led by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said the vision of Col. Goita was the speedy return to democracy, adding that Mali wants to review its laws guiding elections and professionalise the process.
In a related development, former President Jonathan briefed Buhari on the special meeting of ECOWAS in Ghana on Sunday to deliberate on the political situation in Mali.