former President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania |
The Commonwealth has deployed a 20-member Observer Group, led by
former President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, for the February 16
Nigerian presidential election.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, constituted
the observer group following an invitation from Nigeria’s Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), according to Commonwealth
Secretariat.
Josephine Latu-Sanft, Commonwealth Secretariat’s Senior
Communications Officer, said members of the group included politicians,
diplomats and experts in law, human rights, gender and election
administration from across the Commonwealth.
She quoted Ms Scotland as saying that an advance group of observers
was deployed to Nigeria on January 28, while other members of the team
were expected to arrive in Abuja on February 8.
Ms Scotland said: “The Commonwealth has a long history of observing
elections in member countries, in solidarity with electors as they
choose their leaders, and in support of efforts to strengthen democracy
and the rule of law in accordance with the values and principles of the
Commonwealth Charter.
“The Commonwealth has observed the previous five elections in
Nigeria, and I am pleased to be deploying so distinguished a group to
again support the nation in its continuing journey of democratic
development”.
The Commonwealth Observer Group’s mandate was to observe and consider
factors affecting the credibility of the electoral process as a whole.
It would assess whether the elections have been conducted in
accordance with the standards for democratic elections to which Nigeria
has committed itself, with reference to national legislation and
relevant regional, Commonwealth and international commitments.
Where appropriate, the Group could also make recommendations for the future strengthening of the electoral framework.
The Commonwealth Observer Group would consider the pre-election environment and election preparations.
Members would be deployed to various regions of the country where
they will observe the voting, vote-counting and results procedures.
The Group would submit its final report for consideration by the
Commonwealth Secretary-General, and she will in turn share it with the
Government of Nigeria, INEC and political parties.
The Secretary-General would also convey the report to all
Commonwealth governments after which the report would then be made
public.
The Group would be supported by Commonwealth Secretariat staff led by
Katalaina Sapolu, Senior Director of the Governance and Peace
Directorate.
Other members of the Commonwealth Observer Group are Lesley Clark of
Australia; Gary Dunn, former Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General from
Australia; and Omar Jallow from The Gambia.
Members of the group also comprised Emmanuel Akwetey, Prosper Bani and Emmanuel Bombande, all from Ghana.
Shahabuddin Quraishi from India, Orrette Fisher from Jamaica and Jedidah Waruhiu from Kenya are also members of the group.
Also in the group are Notemba Tjipueja from Namibia, Eric Kwa from
Papua New Guinea, Ernest Sagaga from Rwanda and Marcella Samba-Sesay
from Sierra Leone.
Others are Crystal Orderson from South Africa, Joy Napier from St
Kitts & Nevis, Elizabeth Donnelly from United Kingdom, Linda
Duffield, also from United Kingdom, and Musa Mwenye from Zambia.
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