President Jose Mario Vaz: preempts Nigeria’s peace initiative

*Obasanjo at the head of a Nigerian initiated peace move

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep concern by the unfolding political situation in Guinea Bissau following the dismissal of the Prime Minister, Mr. Domingos Simoes Pereira and his cabinet by President Jose Mario Vaz, Mr Femi Adesina,  Buhari’s media adviser said today.

In particular, Buhari was worried that President Jose Mario Vaz, made a preemptive move Thursday night by appointing a successor to Pereira, despite the peace move initiated by Nigeria to resolve the political crisis.

Former Nigerian leader, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was asked by President Buhari to broker peace in the tiny African country.

”Chief Obasanjo embarked on the first leg of his mission by consulting with the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President  Macky Sall of Senegal in Dakar yesterday.

“It is regrettable that while Chief Obasanjo was still consulting with President Sall, President Jose Mario Vaz of Guinea Bissau proceeded to appoint and swear-in a new Prime Minister in the person of Mr. Baciro Dja, a development that has worsened the political situation in his country”, said Buhari in a statement issued by Adesina.

”President Buhari appeals for calm and calls on the leadership in Guinea Bissau to exercise utmost restraint and ensure the maintenance of law and order as efforts continue to resolve the current crisis.

”The President particularly urges the leadership in Guinea Bissau, including the military, to ensure respect for constitutional order, sanctity of life and safety of citizens, and avoid taking any further action that can threaten the fragile democratic institutions recently established in the country.”