Buhari Delegates Obasanjo To Mediate In Guinea Bissau Political Crisis

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Friday, August 21st, 2015

By Ayo Balogun – President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep concern on the unfolding political situation in Guinea Bissau, following the dismissal of her Prime Minister, Mr. Domingos Simoes Pereira and his cabinet by President Jose Mario Vaz.

In demonstration of true African solidarity and brotherhood, Mr. President had sent former President Olusegun Obasanjo as his Special Envoy to mediate and help find a solution to the crisis brewing, in the country.

Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adeshina disclosed Friday in a statement that Chief Obasanjo embarked on the first leg of his mission by consulting with the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Macky Sall of Senegal in Dakar yesterday.

President Buhari lamented that it was regrettable that while the former Nigerian Leader was still consulting with President Sall, President Jose Mario Vaz of Guinea Bissau proceeded to appoint and swear-in a new Prime Minister in the person of Mr. Baciro Dja, a development that has worsened the political situation in his country

Buhari however appealed for calm and called on the leadership in Guinea Bissau to exercise utmost restraint and ensure the maintenance of law and order as efforts to resolve the current crisis was still in progress.

The President particularly urged the leadership in Guinea Bissau, including the military, to ensure respect for constitutional order, sanctity of life and safety of citizens as well as avoid taking any further action that could threaten the fragile democratic institutions recently established in the West African country.