Former Nigerian President Holds Unscheduled Talks in Mekelle as TPLF Demands Lifted Blockades, Restored Legal Status, and Territorial Reversal
By Borkena Desk
TORONTO, Canada — Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) leaders on Tuesday met Chief AU mediator of the Pretoria Agreement, Olusegun Obasanjo—who is also former Nigerian President—in Mekelle, discussing the prospect of conditional engagement with the federal government.
The TPLF, which established a de facto administration in the Tigray region after removing the Tigray Interim Administration under Gen. Tadesse Worede in April this year, released a statement regarding the talks.
Olusegun Obasanjo was not expected in Mekelle this week, requiring TPLF leaders to cancel their schedule to meet him. Indications from regional sources suggest the federal government initiated the visit.
The federal government has accused the TPLF of violating the Pretoria Agreement, which ended the 2020–2022 devastating conflict that has caused over 600,000 deaths, according to officials involved in the mediation.
Sources close to the government, such as Lualawi Media, report that Mr. Obasanjo told TPLF leaders that respecting the Pretoria Agreement remains the only way out of escalating regional tension. The federal government carried out several drone strikes in Mekelle and other parts of the region, allegedly targeting TPLF military assets. However, the strikes in Mekelle caused confirmed civilian casualties.
The key message Obasanjo reportedly delivered to TPLF leaders urged them to cease working with Tsemdo forces, restore the interim administration, and implement DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration), as mandated by the Pretoria provision. The Ethiopian Government Communication Service has not disclosed this publicly.
In its official statement released on Tuesday, the TPLF outlined five preconditions for peaceful engagement with Abiy Ahmed’s government: lifting economic blockades, ending military encircling and actions, restoring what it calls “Tigray sovereign territory” (referring to the Wolkait and Raya areas that were incorporated into Tigray after 1991 and are contested by ethnic Amhara forces amid Ethiopia’s non-sovereign regional state structure), returning displaced persons, and reinstating the TPLF as a legal entity. The federal government previously cut the Tigray regional budget on grounds that the TPLF would use the funds to prepare for war.
The TPLF has played a key role in forming a military and political alliance that began as Tsemdo, with Eritrea acting at least as a backer. Reports from Ethiopian Media Services indicate that Tsemdo has transformed into Tibebir (translating to coalition), incorporating Fano forces. The TPLF’s willingness to engage the federal government raises questions regarding its commitment to the coalition.
Tension has escalated in the region following further military strikes by the federal government.
The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa released a statement on Tuesday calling Obasanjo’s visit to Mekelle encouraging. He is expected to return in about two weeks, ostensibly bearing responses to the TPLF’s demands.
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The regional power Tigray has enough military power to remove Abiy Ahmed from power since the Pretoria agreement that saved his rgime is void and dead now. It has given diplomacy a chance but the diplomatic path is not working because Abiy Ahmed is not willing to agree to peaxeful resolution. Tigray military operation in Ethiopia will end the stalemate by deposing Abiy Ahmed and stabilizing Ethiopia. By doing so Tigray can not be accused of violating international law and intervention in a sovereign country.
There is a misprint in this article. I talked to my longtime homeboy Debre this afternoon and had asked him about what transpired during the meeting. He told me he had given six preconditions to Obasanjo. I asked him what those six preconditions are. He could not do that because he needed permission from his bosom daddy Al-Toweel Isu. He the put me on hold to call his slave master and told me what those six preconditions were. The first one is to hand over the GERD dam to him pronto so he can sell it to his bank roller in Al-Qahirah. The 2nd one is for the Afar people to evacuate the entire Afar region and move them to Mauritania so he can link Mek’ele to Assab. The 3rd one is transfer all the assets and headquarters of all banks to Mek’ele. The 4th one is disarm the entire ENDF and hand over all the arsenal including the air force to the armed wing of the TPLF. The 5th and 6th ones are just piece of cake. They involve the eradication of the word ‘Ethiopia’ from existence. Done!!!!!