AU divided on new Libyan govt

By Hugo Odiogor

African Union (UN) leaders ended their emergency meeting in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, at the weekend, disagreeing on their response to the capture of Tripoli by the NATO backed rebels and the setting up of a new administration by the National Transition Council (NTC).

The AU meeting, at the behest of South Africa, withheld recognition for the new administration in Tripoli although 20 of the 57-member union have individually extended diplomatic recognition to the NTC. The AU as a body is demanding for inclusion of members of the ousted Gaddafi regime in the new government.

Nigeria, which has not categorically expressed support for the NTC, said it will work with the democratic forces in the post Gaddafi Libya but experts in international politics said Nigeria is playing diplomatic ostrich because the NTC  has no democratic credential “but was rather formed on February 26 by members of European Union who wanted to have a coordinating body to mobilise the people of Libya against the horrendous attack on pro democracy groups in the North African country”.