Former Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete Heads Commonwealth Election Observer Group To Nigeria

BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – Commonwealth of Nations has appointed former President of Tanzania, Mr. Jakaya Kikwete as its head of the Election Observer Group for the scheduled February Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The Election Observer Group was constituted by the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland, following an invitation from the Nigeria Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Other members of the group include politicians, diplomats and experts in law, human rights, gender and election administration from across the Commonwealth states.

Already, an advance group of observers was deployed to Nigeria on January 29, while other members of the team are expected to arrive in Abuja on February 8, 2019.

While constituting the Election Observer Group, 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.”

She said that the mandate of the Observer Group’s include to observe and consider factors affecting the credibility of the electoral process as a whole and to 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.

Scotland said that where appropriate, the Group can also make recommendations for the future strengthening of the electoral framework.

The Observer Group is also expected to consider the pre-election environment and election preparations.

Members of the group are be deployed to various regions of the country where they will observe the voting, vote-counting and results procedures.

The Group will submit its final report for consideration by the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, who will in turn share it with the Government of Nigeria, INEC and political parties before conveying it to all Commonwealth governments. 

It is after the above stated process that the report will then be made public.

The Group will be supported by Commonwealth Secretariat staff led by Ms Katalaina Sapolu, Senior Director of the Governance and Peace Directorate.