Guinea Bissau President Jose Mario Vaz |
Bissau, GUINEA-BISSAU
West African leaders on
Sunday reiterated their backing for Guinea-Bissau's Aristide Gomes, sacked as
prime minister by the country's interim president three weeks ahead of a
presidential election.
A
delegation of the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas)
denounced as illegal President Jose Mario Vaz's sacking last week of Gomes and
his internationally backed government.
Vaz
had no authority to dismiss the administration or appoint a replacement
government because his five-year mandate as president had expired in June, said
the Ecowas statement.
At
a June 29 meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, Ecowas had agreed that Vaz could stay on
until the presidential election due November 24, but leave the government to
run the country.
Jean-Claude
Brou, president of the Ecowas Commission, warned that anyone who tried to
prevent the holding of the election this month faced the possibility of
sanctions.
Gomes
has already described Vaz's sacking of him and his cabinet as a coup paving the
way for him to stop preparations for the presidential poll.
"My
government is the only legitimate one recognised by the international
community," said Gomes after meeting the Ecowas delegation in Bissau.
"I
am continuing my work, which is to organise the elections at the scheduled
date," he continued, adding: "If the president sets fire to the
house, he risks being left without a roof."
The
Ecowas delegation that visited Guinea-Bissau Sunday also met with Vaz, foreign
diplomats in the capital, lawmakers and members of the electoral commission, an
AFP journalist reported.
But
they did not meet the prime minister Vaz appointed to replace Gomes, Faustino
Imbali.
The
UN Security Council on Friday called for the authorities to respect the date
set for the holding of the presidential election and rejected Vaz's appointment
of the new government.
Vaz
has already said the election will go ahead, with a second round if necessary
being held on December 29.
Vaz,
62, is one of the 12 candidates running for the presidency.
Another
former prime minister, Domingos Simoes Pereira, who heads the African Party of
the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), is running against him.
PAIGC
won a parliamentary majority in the March 10 legislative election.
Vaz
has governed since 2014 in Guinea Bissau, which is stricken by poverty,
corruption and drug trafficking. - AFP
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