The 2023 elections in Nigeria could affect the West African sub-region – ECOWAS
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) pre-election fact-finding mission to Nigeria said the outcome of the 2023 general elections could have effects on the sub-region.
The group said this during its Monday visit to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, in Abuja.
The group was led by Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, former Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Director of Political Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission, Remi Ajibewa, said the sub-regional body looks forward to successful and credible elections in African countries West, especially Nigeria in 2023, given the leadership role the country has played in the sub-region.
"We all know the importance of Nigeria, given that, as they say, if Nigeria sneezes, all of West Africa catches a cold and we don't pray for that to be the result.< /p>
“So we are here to listen to you, to see the area of challenges that we might also point out.”
Mr. Ajibewa said they were in Nigeria to investigate ahead of the country's general elections in 2023, in line with the 2021 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol to Observe Elections in Nigeria.
He said Articles 11, 12 and 13 of the protocol instructed the commission to deploy an electoral fact-finding mission to each ECOWAS member state that was about to hold an election, especially a presidential election .
“And that is why we are here and in the cause of our presence here in Nigeria, there will be visits to the ECOWAS Commission first, which we have done to brief the Head of Mission.
"Then to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where we were this morning, then the Inspector General of Police, then some civil societies and INEC.
READ ALSO:"Basically the reason we normally do this is because we think INEC is our friend, so that's some of the things we've had, we've given them talking points as well .
“So in the course, we will also visit the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. We will visit resident electoral commissioners. We will visit security agencies. We will visit traditional and religious leaders.
"We will visit civil society, have our audience with them, all to find out the state of readiness of these stakeholders that we meet.
"But in particular, we won't miss the political parties, given that they are the kind of important role.
“Then in the course we will meet the media, talk with the Bar Association, the courts also because of their role,” he said
Mr. Ajibewa said the delegation's visit to Nigeria was not the first as it had been done in other previous elections in the country, including the 2019 general elections.
In response, Mr. Yakubu said that INEC had invited interested international organizations from around the world to come and observe the general elections.
The INEC chairman revealed that it was a demonstration of the commission's openness and ritual of receiving international observers.
"Election observation is an important element in ensuring the transparency and credibility of elections. We have always benefited from the insight of election observation missions.
“For example, you are here to investigate, we will hear what you have found so far, which will help us conclude our preparations for the election.
"And I also look forward to receiving any reports at the end of the process in February and March so that we can learn even more from the inside," he said.
The President assured the ECOWAS team that the 2023 general elections in Nigeria will be technology driven.
"Let me reaffirm INEC Nigeria's commitment to technology-enabled free, fair and credible elections.
“The 2023 general elections in Nigeria will be driven by technology, not only as a legal requirement, but also as a matter of course, for us in the commission.
“So, I want to assure the ECOWAS team that we are committed to holding credible elections in the next four months and a few days, which will be the seventh consecutive elections in Nigeria, since the restoration of democracy in 1999", says Mr Yakubu.
Mr. Yakubu, who praised ECOWAS for its commitment to credible elections in Nigeria, said he was the first to arrive in Nigeria for the elections.
"ECOWAS has demonstrated this seriousness and commitment to ensuring that we do things right electorally in this region...
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) pre-election fact-finding mission to Nigeria said the outcome of the 2023 general elections could have effects on the sub-region.
The group said this during its Monday visit to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, in Abuja.
The group was led by Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, former Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Director of Political Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission, Remi Ajibewa, said the sub-regional body looks forward to successful and credible elections in African countries West, especially Nigeria in 2023, given the leadership role the country has played in the sub-region.
"We all know the importance of Nigeria, given that, as they say, if Nigeria sneezes, all of West Africa catches a cold and we don't pray for that to be the result.< /p>
“So we are here to listen to you, to see the area of challenges that we might also point out.”
Mr. Ajibewa said they were in Nigeria to investigate ahead of the country's general elections in 2023, in line with the 2021 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol to Observe Elections in Nigeria.
He said Articles 11, 12 and 13 of the protocol instructed the commission to deploy an electoral fact-finding mission to each ECOWAS member state that was about to hold an election, especially a presidential election .
“And that is why we are here and in the cause of our presence here in Nigeria, there will be visits to the ECOWAS Commission first, which we have done to brief the Head of Mission.
"Then to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where we were this morning, then the Inspector General of Police, then some civil societies and INEC.
READ ALSO:"Basically the reason we normally do this is because we think INEC is our friend, so that's some of the things we've had, we've given them talking points as well .
“So in the course, we will also visit the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. We will visit resident electoral commissioners. We will visit security agencies. We will visit traditional and religious leaders.
"We will visit civil society, have our audience with them, all to find out the state of readiness of these stakeholders that we meet.
"But in particular, we won't miss the political parties, given that they are the kind of important role.
“Then in the course we will meet the media, talk with the Bar Association, the courts also because of their role,” he said
Mr. Ajibewa said the delegation's visit to Nigeria was not the first as it had been done in other previous elections in the country, including the 2019 general elections.
In response, Mr. Yakubu said that INEC had invited interested international organizations from around the world to come and observe the general elections.
The INEC chairman revealed that it was a demonstration of the commission's openness and ritual of receiving international observers.
"Election observation is an important element in ensuring the transparency and credibility of elections. We have always benefited from the insight of election observation missions.
“For example, you are here to investigate, we will hear what you have found so far, which will help us conclude our preparations for the election.
"And I also look forward to receiving any reports at the end of the process in February and March so that we can learn even more from the inside," he said.
The President assured the ECOWAS team that the 2023 general elections in Nigeria will be technology driven.
"Let me reaffirm INEC Nigeria's commitment to technology-enabled free, fair and credible elections.
“The 2023 general elections in Nigeria will be driven by technology, not only as a legal requirement, but also as a matter of course, for us in the commission.
“So, I want to assure the ECOWAS team that we are committed to holding credible elections in the next four months and a few days, which will be the seventh consecutive elections in Nigeria, since the restoration of democracy in 1999", says Mr Yakubu.
Mr. Yakubu, who praised ECOWAS for its commitment to credible elections in Nigeria, said he was the first to arrive in Nigeria for the elections.
"ECOWAS has demonstrated this seriousness and commitment to ensuring that we do things right electorally in this region...
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