The West African Elders Forum (WAEF) has dispatched a delegation to observe Liberia’s upcoming general election, scheduled for October 10, 2023.
Gatekeepers News reports that the mission, aimed at promoting peaceful and democratic elections in Liberia, is led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.
In a statement, Wealth Ominabo, communications officer of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, said the former president, who is leading the delegation, left Nigeria on Saturday for Monrovia, the capital of Liberia.
Members of the delegation include Kadre Ouedraogo, former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso and former President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Ominabo said the team would be on hand to observe how the elections progress and provide support for peaceful elections to ensure “consolidation of democracy in the country, leveraging their experiences as former leaders of the sub-region”.
He said the delegation will meet with “critical stakeholders”, opposition leaders, the electoral management body and the security authorities, including President George Weah, who is seeking re-election.
The West African Elders Forum will remain in Liberia for approximately ten days and will actively monitor polling stations in Monrovia to assess Election Day procedures and the results collation process.
Ann Iyonu, Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation and head of the WAEF secretariat, emphasised that the mission’s role extends to providing advisory, mediation, and conflict resolution support services to political leaders in the West African sub-region.
Ominabo added that the delegation’s engagements in the country would be guided by their experience and wisdom as former presidents and leaders in the sub-region.
