From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari and other West African leaders will, today, meet in Abuja in furtherance of mandate to mediate in The Gambia political impasse after the December Presidential election in order to avoid violence and preserve democracy in that country.

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement, recalled that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had named Buhari and the immediate past President of Ghana, John Mahama, as Mediator and Co-Mediator, respectively, to ensure the safety of the President-elect, Adama Barrow, and ensure a peaceful handover of power on January 19.

The meeting in Abuja follows the one in Accra on the sidelines of the inauguration of that country’s president which expressed the readiness of the leaders of the sub-region to continue the pursuit of dialogue with the leaders of The Gambia.

The Presidents of Liberia and Senegal, the Vice President of Sierra-Leone and ex-President Mahama are expected at the meeting.
– Sun