ECOWAS Parliament Says It’s Ready To Observe Nigeria’s Elections
Princess-Ekwi Ajide Abuja
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament says its preparations to observe Nigeria’s general elections on February 25, 2023 are far advanced.
The Chairman of the Political Affairs, Peace, Security and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Senator Edwin Snowe Jr., said the parliament is in touch with ECOWAS long term observers and they have an advance team which is being coordinated by the Secretary General, John Azumah.
Sentor Snowe, who made this known in a telephone interview, from his base in Liberia, noted that he would join the team next week Tuesday as head of the Parliamentary delegation for the Nigerian election observation with other eight (8) of his colleagues that are part of the team.
He said they are monitoring the situation and working with the ECOWAS Commission and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hence they are hopeful to have a peaceful election in Nigeria.
According to him, in preparations towards the upcoming Liberia’s general election this year, the ECOWAS Commission would be in Liberia this week to have an assessment of Liberia’s preparedness for their upcoming election while later in May, the ECOWAS Parliament will be in Liberia for a fact finding mission to assess the country’s preparedness for the election, and in June 2023, Committees on Political Affairs and Legal would have a delocalized meeting in Liberia.
Senator Snowe, said the meeting would be centered on Liberia’s preparedness for its election, as ECOWAS would have long and short term observer mission that would be going to Liberia for its elections.
In the case of Sierra Leone, which also has a general election this year, Chairman Snowe pointed out that, there would be a mission of the Parliament in mid March 2023 by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Female Parliamentary Association (ECOFEPA) which would have a symposium, adding that the Speaker has mandated the Political Affairs Committee to spend some time there within that period to see the level of Sierra Leone’s preparedness for the elections.
He noted that again in May 2023, they would have a mission Sierra Leone to check on the final preparation of the elections and in June 2023, would be there to observe the elections as well.
The parliamentarian noted that as they plan for the elections in theses countries, they are putting in place plans to address issues of run offs as they are prepared to have their team to visit the countries or be a part of the run off process.
