BREAKING: Tinubu, 7 Other Presidents Kick-Off ECOWAS Meeting Over Niger Coup

• President Bola Tinubu and seven presidents of other ECOWAS member states have begun an extraordinary meeting of the regional bloc in Abuja
• Two other presidents, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo and President Adama Barrow of The Gambia, are reported to be on their way
• The ECOWAS meeting is coming after the failure of the military junta in the Niger Republic to adhere to the ECOWAS ultimatum to hand over power to the democratic government

FCT, Abuja - President Bola Tinubu has led seven other presidents of West African countries into the extraordinary meeting of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) over the political crisis in the Niger Republic.

Recall that President Tinubu, the ECOWAS chairman, scheduled another West African bloc meeting following the expiration of the ultimatum issued to the Niger military junta to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum.

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Why President Tinubu, other ECOWAS presidents, hold extraordinary meeting

The extraordinary meeting of the ECOWAS is being monitored by Legit.ng on the official YouTube page of Nigeria's Presidency.

Bazoum is the country's democratically elected president, but the coup leaders have rejected the regional bloc, which has led to more sanctions on the military supporters.

ECOWAS has hinted at possible military action against the junta, which was widely rejected, particularly in Nigeria.

List of African leaders present at ECOWAS extraordinary meeting

While five of the members of ECOWAS have been suspended due to a military takeover, the extraordinary meeting of the West African bloc commenced with eight members in attendance. At the same time, two presidents were conspicuously absent.

Below is the list of the present presidents available for the extra-ordinary summit:

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1. President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone
2. President. Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco of Guinea Bissau
3. President Everiste Ndayishimiye of Burundi
4. President Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire
5. President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania
6. President Nana Akofo-Ado of Ghana
7. President Macky Sall of Senegal
8. President Patrice Talon of the Benin Republic

Others that were not present at the event were:

1. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo
2. President Adama Barrow of The Gambia

"It should be diplomatic": Tinubu told how to go about Niger's political crisis

Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu has been urged to avoid using force on the political crisis rocking the Niger Republic.

Yusuf Yusuf, a journalist from northern Nigeria, said using force would strongly affect the Nigerian states neighbouring the Niger Republic.

According to Yusuf, the president must avoid war at all costs, adding that the country did not need war.

Source: Legit.ng