By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday told President Muhammadu Buhari that the main opposition group in Mali, M5, is still insisting on the resignation of President Ibrahim Keita before the crisis in the country can be resolved.
Jonathan reiterated, however, that the position is not acceptable to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which backs only a democratic process in change of power in the region.
Jonathan is now ECOWAS special envoy to Mali.
“We told them (M5) that no international organisation, including the African Union (AU), United Nations (UN) and others would agree with their position. We continued to emphasise the need for dialogue,” Jonathan stressed.
He was briefing Buhari in Aso Rock on the political situation in Mali as corollary to efforts by West African leaders to restore stability to the country.
Buhari and four other ECOWAS leaders had visited Bamako last month, followed by a virtual extraordinary summit of the sub-regional body.
Jonathan was also in Mali from Monday to Thursday last week.
He recounted his meetings with the stakeholders, including political and religious leaders, ambassadors of the United States, France, Russia, Germany, the European Union, and other advocates of peace and cohesion in Mali.
He said the Constitutional Court had been reconstituted and inaugurated, while vacancies in the Supreme Court had been filled, thus sorting out the judicial arm of government.
Buhari thanked Jonathan for “the stamina you have displayed” on the Malian issue, and canvassed further consultations with ECOWAS Chairman, Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou.