TMG: Rafsanjani Emerges As Chairman of Board

The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), has elected Mr. Auwal Musa Rafsanjani as the new Chairman of its Board. Rafsanjani alongside other members of the Board were elected at the group’s Annual General meeting (AGM) that took place on Thursday, August 26, at Zeus Hotel, Mabushi – Abuja.

Mr Rafsanjani succeeded Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi who stepped down having served the required maximum four years single-term in office.

The AGM also elected ten other Board members and state coordinators who were pooled from different demographics to reflect the diversity of the country.

Others elected into the Board included; Ms. Mirian Menkiti – Vice Chair, Mr. Tijani Abdulkareem – Treasurer,

Ms. Ekaete Judith Umoh – representing persons with disabilities, Mr. Tayo Akinpelu, representing the Youth and Dr. Abdu-Azis Bako, elected a North Central Coordinator

Others include; Sylvester Okoduwa as South-south Coordinator, Dr. Joseph Gimba – North-east Coordinator, Mr. Adesina Adefolahan – South-west, Pastor Gabriel Odom – South-east and Hajia Fatima Mohammed Umar for the North West

The AGM which started with an Electoral Summit with the theme; ‘The Future of Nigeria Election: The Way Forward,’ took a look at the various issues that can improve or impede elections in Nigeria with focus on electoral security, internal party democracy, electronic voting and the impact of election litigation on the integrity of the nation’s electoral process.

Rafsanjani, who is also the Head of Transparency International-Nigeria and the chairman Board of Trustee, Amnesty International-Nigeria will now steer the affairs of the flagship election observation coalition in the country for the next four years.

He is known for his consistent engagement of the polity in the last two decades pushing for sustainable reforms that will bring lasting solutions to Nigerian many crises.

As the flagship of election observation in Nigeria, TMG played a pivotal role in ensuring civic participation by mobilizing citizens during the Nigeria’s transition program conducted by the military regime of General Abdusalami Abubakar between 1998 and 1999.

The TMG has consistently engaged the electoral process in ensuring transparency, accountability and credibility of the process by sensitizing and observing every strand of election in Nigeria.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Rafsanjani promised to add value to some of the achievements of his predecessor just a he promised to carry members along by running an all-inclusive organization, rebuilding partnership with stakeholders especially with the donor community as well as other relevant agencies in the development sector.

Rafsanjani assured that the TMG new leadership will make all necessary efforts to bring together all members in order to work as a team toward moving the organization forward and mobilize citizens to demand for accountability in order to choose the right leaders as we match toward the 2023 General Election.

The new Board pledged to uphold an already established goodwill and sustained relationship the group presently enjoys with the media.

Mr Rafsanjani also said that in the spirit of accountability, the new Board will resuscitate the TMG Newsletter, ‘Democracy Watch’ so as to maintain constant communication with the members on the activities of the group.

He particularly praised the effort of the outgoing leadership for the good work they did to keep the organization relevant.