ECOWAS to Deploy Election Observers to Nigeria
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament yesterday disclosed that it would be deploying observer mission to Nigeria for the forthcoming general election.
The parliament also plans to deploy observer missions for the elections holding in Sierra Leone in June and Liberia in October, this year.
The deployment of election observers was part of the decision taken by the fifth Legislature of ECOWAS Parliament which adopted an Activity Plan for 2023 due for execution throughout the year.
The adoption followed a formal submission of the Activity Plan by the Secretariat of the ECOWAS Parliament and deliberations by members of parliament, who adjusted and agreed on dates for execution of outlined tasks for the year.
The activities, among others, included the deployment of observer missions for upcoming elections to be held in Nigeria in February, followed by Sierra Leone in June and Liberia in October 2023.
Others were delocalised meetings; 2023 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament; Meeting of the Committee on Administration, Finance and Budget-AFC; border visits at the borders of Senegal/Mali, Senegal/Gambia, Ghana/Cote D’Ivoire, Sierra Leone/Guinea; oversight missions to the Regional Animal Center-RAHC/ the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority-ERCA/Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing in West Africa-GIABA & ECOWAS Gender Center-EDGC and implementation of Single Currency Program of ECOWAS; fact-finding missions on Payment of the Community Levy and political, security/humanitarian crisis in Burkina Faso and elections in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Pertinent also for the plan of activities were Gender Parity meetings for ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians-ECOFEPA;
Meetings on Direct Election Visit to Tanzania, corroborating with visibility meetings in Panama, South Africa, Israel, France, Belgium and Bahrain alongside participation in the 8th Legislators Forum and the 13th Annual Session of the International Renewal Energy Agency-IRENA in the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and the European Union.
