By Kruah Thompson
The former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC) Professor Attahiru Jega is in Liberia, as head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM) to observe Tuesday’s elections.
The Mission is set to monitor the Liberian presidential, senatorial, and legislative elections scheduled for October 10, 2023.
Prof. Jega arrived in Monrovia and received a warm welcome from Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah, ECOWAS Resident Representative to Liberia.
The ECOWAS Election Observation Mission consists of a 95-member team, comprising 80 short-term observers and 17 long-term observers.
The observers are drawn from various entities, including the ECOWAS Council of the Wise, the ECOWAS Parliament, the Community Court of Justice, Member States’ Ministries of Foreign Affairs, electoral management bodies, and civil society organizations.
According to an ECOWAS report, the Mission’s primary objective is to monitor all phases of the electoral process, including pre-electoral, electoral, and post-electoral phases, aimed at ensuring international best practices.
Following Professor Jega’s arrival recently, he has been actively engaging with various actors and stakeholders in preparation for the elections.
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On October 3, 2023, he met with Mr. Leonardo Santos Simão, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).
Discussions revolved around election preparations and challenges in ensuring a peaceful, free, and credible election.
On October 4, Prof. Jega, along with Mr. Santos and Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah, convened a meeting at the United Nations System Representation headquarters in Liberia.
They engaged with Ambassadors and representatives of International Organizations accredited in Liberia.
Additionally, the Head of the Mission held discussions with Mr. Dee-Maxwel Saah Kemayah, Liberia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Minister Kemayah assured the ECOWAS delegation of the Government of Liberia’s commitment to transparency in the electoral process, allowing national and international observers to carry out their missions with calm and serenity.
On Thursday, October 5, Prof. Jega and Ambassador Nkrumah met with representatives of various Liberian organizations, including the National Center for the Coordination of the Response Mechanism (NCCRM), the Peacebuilding Office, the Liberia Women’s Network, the Election Coordination Committee, the Liberia Election Observation Network, the NGO “Integrity Watch,” and the West African Peacebuilding Network (WANEP).
During these meetings, the Head of the ECOWAS Electoral Observation Mission reiterated ECOWAS’ commitment to assisting Liberia in organizing peaceful, credible, and transparent elections, so that the results will be accepted by all.
