Jonathan, Jega Lead Election Observation Missions To Liberia Polls

The West African Elders Forum (WAEF) has deployed an election mission to Monrovia ahead of Liberia’s October 10, 2023 elections.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the communications officer, Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Wealth Dickson Ominabo, who said former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who is leading the mission, left Abuja yesterday afternoon for Monrovia.

Other members of the mission include former Burkina Faso prime minister and one-time president of ECOWAS, Kadre Ouedraogo and staff of the WAEF secretariat.

The team would be on hand to observe how the elections progress to offer their support towards peaceful end and the consolidation of democracy in the country, leveraging their experiences as former leaders in the sub-region.

They will meet with critical stakeholders, including President George Weah, who is seeking re-election, opposition leaders, the electoral management body and the security authorities.

Members of the WAEF mission which is billed to be in Liberia for about 10 days, would visit polling stations in Monrovia to observe Election Day procedures and result collation process and remain engaged until the results are declared.

According to the executive director of Goodluck Jonathan Foundation and head of the WAEF secretariat, Ms Ann Iyonu, members of the mission will be holding consultations with the candidates, managers of the elections, observer missions and other key stakeholders towards ensuring peaceful and successful outcomes.

She said the role of the WAEF mission is to provide advisory, mediation and conflict resolution support services to political leaders of the sub-region, adding that the members would remain in the country until the election procedures are peacefully concluded.

The mission’s engagements in the country would be guided by the experience and wisdom of its members who, as former presidents and leaders in the sub-region, had managed elections and overseen successful conflict resolution and peace processes.

Similarly, a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, is also leading the short-term ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the Liberian presidential, senatorial and parliamentary elections scheduled for 10 October, 2023.

Prof. Jega has arrived in Monrovia, the Liberian capital, and was welcomed by Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah, ECOWAS resident representative to Liberia.

During his stay, the Head of the ECOWAS mission and his team will hold working sessions with different stakeholders including the National Elections Commission (NEC), government, civil society organisations, the media, security agencies as well as political parties and candidates in order to ensure smooth conduct of the electoral process.

The West African Elders Forum (WAEF) has deployed an election mission to Monrovia ahead of Liberia’s October 10, 2023 elections.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the communications officer, Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Wealth Dickson Ominabo, who said former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who is leading the mission, left Abuja yesterday afternoon for Monrovia.

Other members of the mission include former Burkina Faso prime minister and one-time president of ECOWAS, Kadre Ouedraogo and staff of the WAEF secretariat.

The team would be on hand to observe how the elections progress to offer their support towards peaceful end and the consolidation of democracy in the country, leveraging their experiences as former leaders in the sub-region.

They will meet with critical stakeholders, including President George Weah, who is seeking re-election, opposition leaders, the electoral management body and the security authorities.

Members of the WAEF mission which is billed to be in Liberia for about 10 days, would visit polling stations in Monrovia to observe Election Day procedures and result collation process and remain engaged until the results are declared.