Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan (R) and President of Benin Republic Boni Yayi chats during their meeting at the emergency summit of Heads of States of ECOWAS on the political crisis in Ivory Coast in Abuja 24 Dec 2010
West African leaders are meeting to discuss the violent political showdown that has gripped Ivory Coast since last month's disputed presidential election, while a militant youth leader loyal to incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo calls for protests against what Gbagbo supporters say is foreign interference in the country's affairs.
Heads of states of the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, are meeting in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. The United Nations says more than 170 people have been killed in the violence.
ECOWAS has suspended Ivory Coast and is but one of many foreign powers, including the European Union, the African Union and the United States, that is calling on incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo to step down.
The ECOWAS meeting comes a day after the U.N. General Assembly formally recognized challenger Alassane Ouattara as the winner of Ivory Coast's November 28 presidential runoff.
Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Henry Odein Ajumogobia told VOA that Nigerian president and head of the ECOWAS regional bloc, Goodluck Jonathan, has offered Gbagbo assistance if he will cede power.
Copyright, Blaise APLOGAN, 2010,© Bienvenu sur Babilown
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