THE former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, is to lead a 16-member Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) to monitor Nigeria’s presidential and legislative elections on February 25.
As of January, an estimated 93.4 million registered voters will have the right to cast ballots in 176,846 polling units across 774 local government areas.
The Group comprises eminent persons from around the Commonwealth, including politicians, diplomats and experts in law, human rights, gender equality and election administration and will be in Nigeria from February 18 to March 2.
The Commonwealth Secretariat is one of the original signatories to the 2005 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, and the group is expected to abide by the Commonwealth’s Revised Guidelines for the Conduct of Election Observation in Member Countries, which were adopted at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London in 2018.
These stipulate that COGs are ‘independent, including of the Secretariat’.
Members of the team are invited in their personal capacity and not as a representative of any member country, government or political group.
The observers will monitor the preparations for the Nigerian election, the polling, counting and the results process, as well as the overall electoral environment and, where appropriate, make recommendations for strengthening the country’s electoral system.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said the 56-nation organisation ‘remains a committed and reliable partner in Nigeria’s continuing journey towards peaceful democratic governance’.
‘Since 1999, we have observed all six general elections in Nigeria and the deployment of this observer group is a testament to the Commonwealth’s enduring support for the promotion of the culture, processes and institutions of democracy in Nigeria.
‘In accordance with the values and principles of the Commonwealth Charter, the work of the group seeks to promote transparency, strengthen democracy and the rule of law, and protect the right of the people of Nigeria to participate in credible, transparent and inclusive elections to shape their society,’ she added.
Scotland went on: ‘This month’s elections hold immense significance not just for Nigeria, but for the entire African continent and the wider democratic world.
‘It is, therefore, essential that all stakeholders in Nigeria reaffirm their shared commitment to ensuring a peaceful election environment which is conducive to the free exercise of people’s franchise and in which fundamental freedoms and rights are respected.’
After the poll, the group will submit its recommendations in a report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, to be forwarded to the Nigerian government, the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission, the leaders of political parties taking part in the elections and all Commonwealth governments.
The report will be made public afterwards.
