President Umaru Yar’Adua is sending former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, to Guinea, to put Babangida's wealth of knowledge in coup plotting to proper use. Babangida will lead a delegation to talk with the military junta, which seized power after the death of President Lansana Conte last Tuesday.
Although the surviving Prime Minister Ahmed Souare had tried to resist the coup plotters, he backed out, following threats to his life.
The development forced some Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders to meet with Yar’Adua last week.
Besides rejecting the return of military rule in Guinea, the ECOWAS leaders denounced the two-year transition to civil rule proposal of the junta.
Findings revealed that Yar’Adua opted for "dialogue with the junta on the need for them to have a rethink on their decision to subvert civil rule in Guinea.
"Yar’Adua has chosen former President Babangida to lead a delegation to Guinea for talks with the coup plotters. I do not have the full list of members of the delegation, but I think Babangida has the mandate to convince the junta to restore democratic rule with immediate effect.
"The ECOWAS leaders have resolved that nothing short of democracy will be accepted."
Presidential spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi said: "I am aware that Gen. Babangida will be leading the ECOWAS delegation on behalf of President Yar’Adua in his capacity as ECOWAS chairman, but I don’t have the details now.
"If you call tomorrow, I should have more information on the issue."
