Mbeki of South Africa to lead Commonwealth election observation team to Nigeria

Former President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki will lead a Commonwealth election observation team to Nigeria, which will hold Africa’s largest democratic exercise on February 25.

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission invited Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland KC to form the Commonwealth Observer Group.

In January 2023, 176,846 polling locations in 774 local government districts will allow 93.4 million registered voters to vote for presidential and national assembly candidates.

Announcing the group, the Commonwealth Secretary-General said:

“The Commonwealth 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.

“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.”

Scotland also thanked President Mbeki and each observer for undertaking this crucial Commonwealth duty.

The independent, impartial committee monitors election preparations, polling, counting, and results, as well as the electoral environment. The observers will evaluate the process and suggest ways to improve Nigeria’s voting system.

The electoral officials, political parties, law enforcement agencies, media, and civil society organisations representing women, youth, and persons with disabilities will brief the group before deployment to different parts of Nigeria.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General will convey the group’s report to the Government of Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission, political party leaders, and other Commonwealth governments. Reports will be released.

16 prominent Commonwealth citizens—politicians, diplomats, and experts in law, human rights, gender equality, and election administration—form the Commonwealth Observer Group. See the team below.

Nigeria hosts the observers from 18 February to 2 March 2023. Joshua Setipa, Senior Director of the Strategy, Portfolio, Partnerships and Digital Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, will lead their personnel.

The Commonwealth Observer Group members, in alphabetical order by country name, are:

• H.E. Thabo Mbeki (Chairperson), Former President, South Africa
• Ian Browne, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Electoral and Boundaries Department, Barbados
• Hon. Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Botswana
• Dr Andrew Knight, Distinguished Professor, Fulbright scholar and expert in terrorism and security, Canada
• Tara Chetty, Human rights and gender expert, Fiji
• Emmanuel Akwetey, Executive Director, Institute for Democratic Governance, Ghana
• Dr Mohamed Chambas, Former United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Ghana
• Hon. Amina Mohamed, Former Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Heritage and Culture, and former Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Kenya
• Linda Bonyo, Legal and data analytics expert, Kenya
• Seabata Motsamai, Chairperson, Lesotho Council of Non-Governmental Organizations, Lesotho
• Rt. Hon. Martin Ngoga, Speaker, East African Legislative Assembly, Rwanda
• Hon. Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, Former House Assembly Speaker, Former Minister for Women Affairs and Former Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Saint Lucia
• Dr Gregory Mills, Director, Brenthurst Foundation, South Africa
• Josephine Karungi, Journalist, Uganda
• Dr Alex Vines, Director, Africa Programme, Chatham House, United Kingdom
• Kryticous Nshindano, Former Chief Electoral Officer, Zambia Electoral Commission, Zambia