President Bola Tinubu is currently in talks with former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Jonathan who arrived at around noon was received by the President before they went into a closed-door meeting.
Although no details have emerged from the meeting, it is likely connected to his work as Special Envoy of the Economic Community of West African States where he is leading mediation talks even as Mali remains under military rule following the August 2020 coup that ousted President Ibrahim Keita.
In September 2023, the Malian military government announced that it would delay a presidential election scheduled for February 2024 which was aimed to return civilian rule.
Two rounds of voting, initially set for February 4 and 18, “will be slightly postponed for technical reasons”, said government spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga.
Maiga explained the reasons to include issues related to the adoption of a new constitution and a review of the electoral lists.
He also mentioned a dispute with the French company Idemia, which the government said is involved in the census process.
“The new dates for the presidential election will be communicated later,” Maiga affirmed.
In January 2022, the Economic Community of West African State imposed sanctions on Mali when the Asimi Goita-led junta planned to stay in power for up to five years.
Bowing to pressure from the regional bloc, the junta promised to hold the election in February.
Consequently, the ECOWAS lifted a set of trade and financial sanctions on Mali in July 2022.
Punch