Guinea Bissau leader sacks govt prior to presidential elections

Bissau: Guinea-Bissau President Jose Mario Vaz dissolved the government led by Prime Minister Aristides Gomes in a presidential decree on Monday night, but was rejected by Gomes.

The decree was issued after a meeting of the Council of State, an advisory body of the president.

However, Gomes said he will not respect the decision of the "illegal" president.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) warned that the government can not be fired until the November presidential elections.

Guinea-Bissau has been mired in constant political instability since 2015, when Vaz dismissed then Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, his main political rival.

This year's presidential elections will be held on 24 November, with a second around scheduled for 29 December if no one receives more than 50 per cent of the vote in the first round.