President Bola Tinubu has renewed Nigeria’s backing for the swift implementation of the updated South Sudan peace accord, calling for the release of the arrested country’s Vice President, Riek Machar, and other opposition leaders, while promoting dialogue to stabilise the nation.
The call for Machar’s release follows his detention by South Sudanese authorities, who initially placed him under house arrest and later filed charges against him, including murder, treason, and militia-linked attacks.
Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday, Tinubu made the remarks during the African Union (AU) High-Level Ad Hoc Committee for South Sudan (C-5 Plus Summit), chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, on the margins of the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“We wish to specifically call on the government to consider the immediate and unconditional release from detention of the Vice President and other key opposition figures.
“It is also imperative to convene an all-inclusive South Sudan national dialogue and reconciliation forum. We call on all parties to engage constructively with authorities in the mediation process without preconditions,” he said, according to a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha.
Tinubu stated that Nigeria joins other African nations in acknowledging the South Sudanese people’s pursuit of peace, sustainable development, and a speedy resolution of the conflict.
“We support the lofty ambition of all parties and wish to reiterate our doctrinal commitment to accompany the South Sudanese Transitional Government of Unity as well as the good people of the country to actualise their aspiration for lasting peace and development.
“We cannot allow South Sudan to continue on its current trajectory. Without national unity and elite consensus, not much can be achieved on the transition programme in South Sudan,” he added.
The President urged African leaders to press South Sudanese stakeholders to prioritise inclusive, peaceful, and transparent national elections, stressing that this is key to rebuilding trust in the country’s leadership.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s recent launch of the Regional Partnership for Democracy, in collaboration with development partners, as part of the country’s contribution to resolving the conflict in South Sudan and the region.
Tinubu further warned that ongoing insecurity and political tension in South Sudan were obstructing progress on critical transitional fronts, particularly security sector reforms and the constitution-drafting process.
Earlier, South Africa’s president, who is the AU High-Level Ad Hoc Committee Chairman, praised African leaders’ determination to resolve the conflict, noting that the participation of South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir reflected a personal commitment to peace.
Ramaphosa urged all parties to recommit to resolving lingering issues, lamenting the slow implementation of the revitalised agreement eight years after its endorsement.
He also commended the efforts of the United Nations, development partners, and other stakeholders, describing the C-5 Plus Summit as a clear demonstration of continental commitment to a lasting solution for South Sudan. He emphasised robust consultations with all parties and the importance of engaging the South Sudanese people.
Other participants included AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
