The
Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State & Government,
President John Dramani Mahama, has expressed optimism that Nigeria’s
upcoming elections would be peaceful, proving to the world that the West
African super power is a democratic country ruled by the tenets of good
governance and the rule of law.
President
Mahama was speaking to journalists in Abuja after a meeting with
President Goodluck Jonathan, as part of a pre-election visit to Nigeria.
The
ECOWAS Chair expressed his optimism that there will be no post election
violence and all the parties involved in the election which comes off
on March 28 will accept the outcome of the elections peacefully.
Nigeria
is one of five countries in West Africa that will hold elections this
year. The sub regional body, ECOWAS, has been involved in ensuring that
these elections are held in a peaceful and transparent environment.
President
Mahama revealed that ECOWAS has undertaken in all these countries that
are holding elections, long-term observer missions.
“These
missions have been monitoring the electoral process in the lead-up to
the elections, not just before the elections, but for a longer period.
We have received several monitoring reports and working together with
the electoral commissions of the countries and the authorities of these
countries, we have tried to ensure that obstacles to free and fair
elections are removed and people will accept the results of those
elections”, he said.
President
Mahama also met with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega and his team to discuss the
state of their preparedness for the March 28 elections.
He
also met the Presidential Candidate of the opposition All Peoples
Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, and the Heads of the
Commonwealth and AU Observer Missions, President Bakili Muluzi and
President Amos Sawyerr respectively.
President
Mahama said ECOWAS will continue to do everything possible to stand in
solidarity with the Nigerian people to ensure that this election passes
successfully and Nigeria continues to play the role that it plays in our
sub-regional body.
“Nigeria
is a very important member of ECOWAS, the largest economy and the
largest population in the ECOWAS region. Nigeria’s safety and security
is the safety and security of the entire sub-region”, the ECOWAS Chair
said.
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