LOME, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore arrives in Abuja of Nigeria, on Saturday to attend the summit of the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Guinea, according to an official communique from Ouagadougou.

    Compaore will join other leaders of the ECOWAS to evaluate the situation in Guinea where the military junta seized power on Dec. 23 following the death of long-serving President Lansana Conte.

    The president of Burkina Faso called for "the restoration of democracy and the state of law" in Guinea right after a group of young military officers announced the takeover of power on state radio.

    The ECOWAS is split over Guinea, with Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade repeatedly voicing support for the military junta and pledging a visit to Conakry. Some other ECOWAS leaders insist on sanctions including the suspension of Guinea's membership from the regional group.

    On Friday, the demand for a return to constitutional democracy within this year dominated the session of the Council of the ECOWAS foreign ministers, a preparatory meeting for Saturday's extraordinary summit.

    El-Ghassim Wane, head of conflict management with the African Union (AU), told the ECOWAS ministers to do their best to institutionalize and consolidate democracy in the region.

    The African Union (AU) is working with regional bodies to stop the return of the coup culture on the continent, he said, urging ECOWAS members to sign and ratify the Lome Declaration published in July 2000 and the African Charter on unconstitutional change of government.

    The AU suspended Guinea's membership on Dec. 29.

    The junta has promised to hold a presidential election in December 2010, but the international community demands a much earlier date for the vote. The European Union, in particular, called for elections within the first three months of this year.