…to deploy observers in 7states, FCT
KEMI OMONIYI
As Nigeria goes to the polls this weekend, the Commonwealth Election Observation Group has pledged full support for the nation’s democratic process.
The group led by former President of South Africa, His Excellency, Thabo Mbeki, expressed confidence that Nigerians will peacefully exercise their rights to vote in line with their fundamental rights of expression, association and assembly.
Members of the Commonwealth Observer Group constituted by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland, KC, are in the country at the invitation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), were at the headquarters of the Commission in Abuja, on Monday.
Other members of the delegation include: Joshua Setipa and Snober Abbasi, Senior Communications Officer at the Commonwealth Secretariat.
In his speech at s brief ceremony before a technical closed door session, Mbeki appreciated that the 2023 elections in Nigeria will be Africa’s largest democratic exercise. It’s clear the outcome of the elections will be significant not only for Nigeria, but also for the entire continent.”
The former South African president said, “the Commonwealth has a long tradition of supporting the country’s democratic development through election observation. This will be the seventh time a Commonwealth Observer Group will be observing elections in Nigeria, since 1999.”
“Our mandate is to observe and assess the pre-election period, activities on polling day and the post -election period. Throughout, we will consider all factors relating to the credibility of the electoral process.”
Mbeki said the Observation Group will want to know if the elections are conducted according to the standards for democratic elections to which Nigeria has committed itself, including the constitutional framework and national legislation, as well as Commonwealth and other international commitments.”
He, however, promised that, “as we undertake this assessment and conduct our duties, we will be objective, independent and impartial.”
Meanwhile, Mbeki said the Group will deploy observers to only seven of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The states are Kano, Sokoto, Lagos, Edo, Rivers, Benue, Ondo and the FCT.
