Mali's African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence party (SADI) on Thursday said that the leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) did not have the power to prescribe or organize Mali's political transition.

Speaking through its lawyer Oumar Mariko who addressed a press conference in Bamako together with the party officials, the SADI party reiterated that the said decisions were taken in total disregard of Mali's constitutional provisions, especially those regarding the dates for holding presidential elections.

"These controversial decisions that were taken in violation of the ECOWAS regulations will have to be resolved by the ECOWAS Court of Justice in accordance with the rules governing the functioning of the regional body," the political party said.

According to the party's petition, the ECOWAS Court of Justice "is being asked to rule that the controversial decisions could not be implemented in the republic of Mali and that they could not be invoked in any of the ECOWAS member states."

"The ECOWAS Court of Justice is also being asked to find that the recent ECOWAS conference did not have any powers to prescribe or organize the nature of political transition in Mali," the party said.

The party asked the ECOWAS Court of Justice to simply dismiss the controversial decisions by the regional leaders.