Cote d'Ivoire's Laurent Gbagbo's has rejected a warning by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that force might be used to make him give up power, media reports said Saturday.
A spokesman for the Gbagbo camp termed the warning from the regional bloc as a Western plot, Xinhua reported.
ECOWAS issued a communique Friday over Cote d'Ivoire at its heads of state meeting in Nigeria, warning Laurent Gbagbo the use of force if he refuses to give up power.
The document said that the "use of legitimate force not ruled out by ECOWAS if Gbagbo fails to heed demand."