Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. West African Leaders Meeting on Ivory Coast Political Crisis Scott Stearns | Abidjan 07 December 2010 Former South African president Thabo Mbeki (L) meets with Alassane Ouattara (R) Abidjan, 05 Dec 2010 Photo: AFP Former South African president Thabo Mbeki (L) meets with Alassane Ouattara (R) in Abidjan, 05 Dec 2010 West African leaders meet in Nigeria Tuesday to discuss Ivory Coast's political crisis where rival presidents have competing governments following a controversial election. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan says West African heads of state are meeting in Abuja to discuss how their regional alliance might help resolve the crisis in Ivory Coast in cooperation with other international mediation efforts. Thabo Mbeki was here in Abidjan for two days of separate talks with Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara, who have both taken rival oaths of office and named competing governments. Gbagbo says he is the president because Ivory Coast's constitutional council annulled nearly ten percent of all ballots cast, giving him 51 percent of the vote. Mr. Ouattara says he is the president because the United Nations certified the original electoral commission results that show him winning 54 percent of the vote. Mbeki made no apparent breakthrough in resolving the standoff and says he will consult with African Union officials on the way forward. "Our immediate task is to report immediately to the African Union," he said. "I had a discussion earlier today with the commission of the Union in Addis Ababa and indeed the president of the Union, the president Mutharika of the African Union, he called and they are expecting that report so that the African Union can reflect as a matter of urgency as to what needs to be done." Mbeki says it is clearly a very serious situation, and the African Union hopes to resolve the dispute peacefully. Gbagbo is backed by his party's militant youth wing and by senior military officials who control southern regions. Ouattara is backed by former rebels who still control northern regions and say they will return to their fight if Gbagbo does not step down. Soldiers man roadblocks across Abidjan. Gbagbo has extended an overnight curfew for another week. The United Nations is moving more than 400 non-essential personnel to Gambia. .