The West African Elders Forum (WAEF) has deployed an election mission to Monrovia ahead of Liberia’s October 10, 2023 elections.
Former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who is leading the Mission, left Abuja Saturday afternoon for Monrovia.
Other members of the mission include former Burkina Faso Prime Minister and one-time President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Kadre Ouedraogo and staff of the WAEF secretariat.
The team would be on ground to observe how the elections progress, and to offer their support towards peaceful elections and the consolidation of democracy in the country, leveraging their experiences as former leaders of 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 results collation process and remain engaged until the results are declared.
Communications Officer of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Wealth Dickson Ominabo, in a statement on Saturday, quoted the Executive Director of Goodluck Jonathan Foundation and Head of the WAEF Secretariat, Ms Ann Iyonu, as saying that members of the mission would “be holding consultations with the candidates, managers of the elections, and observer missions and other key stakeholders towards ensuring peaceful and successful outcomes.”
She also explained that “the role of WAEF Mission is to provide advisory, mediation, and conflict resolution support services to the 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.
WAEF had conducted similar missions to The Gambia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
. TheWitness
