Fatimah Otunsanya
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday joined other Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in an extraordinary virtual summit convened to address the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, following a coup in the country on Wednesday.
The emergency meeting, held via Zoom, brought together West African leaders in a rapid diplomatic response to the unfolding situation.
Meanwhile, the Guinea-Bissau military, which seized power on Wednesday after arresting President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, has announced General Horta Nta Na Man as the head of a transitional government for one year.
A photograph released by the State House Media Department showed President Tinubu participating in the high-level virtual session from Abuja.
President Tinubu was Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government for two consecutive terms until June 2025, when he handed leadership over to the Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio
ECOWAS has been grappling with a resurgence of coups across the region in recent years, and Thursday’s emergency summit signalled the bloc’s resolve to prevent further destabilisation.