Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reaffirmed its stance that there is no excuse for a change of government by coup d’etat.

In a statement, Mr Osinbajo’s media aide Laolu Akande said the vice president spoke with journalists after the ECOWAS extraordinary summit on the political situations in Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea on Thursday in Accra.

“I think it has been fruitful. The heads of state again reiterated the firm position that had been taken earlier that there is absolutely no excuse for a change of government by coup d’etat,” stated the Nigerian vice president. “So, what happened in Burkina Faso was considered and has been condemned by all of the heads of state, and we do not think there is any excuse for it whatsoever.”

He added that engagement was ongoing with the military junta at the moment.

Mr Osinbajo congratulated President Sissoco Embalo and the people of Guinea-Bissau for surviving an attempted coup by renegade soldiers.

“All in all, it has been fruitful, and we are very hopeful that lessons had been learnt, and we will not see a repeat of this,” added the Nigerian vice president.

On the situation in Mali, the vice president said ECOWAS was expecting that the Malian authorities would respond to ECOWAS imposed sanctions.

“As you know, and we expect that at some point, the Malian authorities themselves would begin to speed up the process of transition. We expect that they will do so,” said Mr Osinbajo. “We are looking forward to that engagement.”

(NAN)