The President of ECOWAS Commission H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray paid a courtesy visit to Nigeria’s former Head of State and one of the founding Fathers of ECOWAS General Yakubu Gowon in his home in Abuja, Nigeria, recently.
Dr Touray who was accompanied by the Commissioner for Internal Services Professor Nazifi Abdullahi Darma, eulogized General Gowon for his exemplary leadership and support for ECO-WAS, as well as interventions to foster political stability in West Africa.
General Gowon expressed appreciation for the visit and recalled the early days of ECOWAS, noting that the regional body has grown in leaps and bounds, progressing beyond the basic protocol at its inception.
Speaking on the political instability in the region, General Gowon expressed his concerns over the coup in Niger and its impact on the subregion.
He however applauded the Chairman of ECOWAS His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government for showing restraint and exploring other diplomatic avenues of restoring constitutional rule to Niger.
General Gowon expressed hope that the political impasse in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger will be resolved, and the countries brought back fully to ECOWAS.