President Muhammadu (left)  and Prime Minister of Guinea Bissau, Umaro El-Mukhtar Sissoco-Embola, at the State House, Abuja.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday assured that as the Chairman of ECOWAS Contact Group on Guinea Bissau, he would do his best to ensure that the country did not relapse into crisis.

The President gave the assurance when he received the Prime Minister of Guinea Bissau, Umaro El-Mukhtar Sissoco-Embola, at the State House, Abuja.

The President expressed satisfaction with the gradual return of normalcy to the West African country.

While assuring the visiting Prime Minister of Nigeria’s continued support for political stability in Guinea Bissau, Buhari urged the leaders to work hard to reach a lasting solution to the political crisis in the country.

The President congratulated the new Prime Minister on his appointment and urged him to put the interest of the country and its people ahead of everything else.

Sissoco-Embalo described President Buhari as his role model, adding that his country would continue to thank the government and people of Nigeria for standing by them in their moment of crisis.

He also pledged his country’s commitment to improved ties with Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Guinea-Bissau has been in the throes of a power struggle since August 2015, following the removal of Prime Minister Domingos Pereira by the country’s President Jose Vaz.

Vaz replaced Pereira with 44-year old Embalo, retired general who had served in previous administrations.

NAN also recalls that ECOWAS leaders at their just concluded 50th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, held in Abuja, took note of the political misunderstanding in Guinea-Bissau.

They reaffirmed their deep concern over the protracted political and institutional crisis due to the inability of political stakeholders to reach a lasting and consensual solution. (NAN)