* ECOWAS to send high level delegation to Ivory Coast
* Gbagbo must stand down or face "legitimate force"
* West African defence chiefs to plan potential action
(Adds quotes, details, background)
By Camillus Eboh and Afolabi Sotunde
ABUJA, Dec 24 (Reuters) - West African regional bloc ECOWAS on Friday threatened to use force against Ivory Coast incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo unless he surrendered power to a rival widely credited with winning an election last month.
ECOWAS said in a statement after an emergency summit it would send a special envoy to the Ivory Coast to tell Gbagbo he must stand down or face "legitimate force".
Ivory Coast is locked in an election standoff in which 200 people have been killed after incumbent Gbagbo claimed victory in the election on Nov. 28 which the United Nations and many foreign governments say was won by rival Alassane Ouattara. [ID:nLDE6BN0JL]
"In the event that Mr Gbagbo fails to yield this imputable demand of ECOWAS (to stand down) the community will be left with no choice but to take other measures, including legitimate force," the ECOWAS statement said.
This was the second time in a month the 15-nation body has met in Nigeria&${esc.hash}39;s capital Abuja to discuss the crisis in Ivory Coast.
"The summit decided to make an ultimate gesture to Mr Gbagbo by urging him to make a peaceful exit. In this regard, the authority decided to dispatch a special high level delegation to Cote d&${esc.hash}39;Ivoire," it said.
It gave no details on when the delegation would visit Ivory Coast or what individuals would travel.
ECOWAS also said it would convene a meeting of the countries&${esc.hash}39; defence chiefs of staff without delay to plan for potential action should Gbagbo not back down.
The United States and the European Union have imposed travel sanctions on Gbagbo and his inner circle while the World Bank and the West African central bank have cut off his funding in an attempt to pressure him to step down.
But Gbagbo has shown no sign of caving and insists he won the election after the Constitutional Court, which is headed by one of his allies, threw out hundreds of thousands of votes from pro-Ouattara constituencies.
The standoff turned violent last week after gun battles broke out briefly between government soldiers loyal to Gbagbo and rebels who now back Ouattara.
(Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
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