Tanzania's former President - Jakaya Kikwete, will lead the Commonwealth Observer Group for the general elections in Nigeria, scheduled for 16 February.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, constituted the observer group following an invitation from Tanzania’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Members include politicians, diplomats and experts in law, human rights, gender and election administration from across the Commonwealth.
An advance group of observers was deployed to Nigeria earlier this week, while other members of the team are expected to arrive in Abuja on 8 February.
The Commonwealth Observer Group’s mandate is to observe and consider factors affecting the credibility of the electoral process as a whole. It will assess whether the elections have been conducted in accordance with the standards for democratic elections to which Nigeria has committed itself, with reference to national legislation and relevant regional, Commonwealth and international commitments. Where appropriate, the Group can also make recommendations for the future strengthening of the electoral framework.
The Commonwealth Observer Group will consider the pre-election environment and election preparations. Members will be deployed to various regions of the country where they will observe the voting, vote-counting and results procedures.
The Group will submit its final report for consideration by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will in turn share it with the Government of Nigeria, INEC and political parties before conveying it to all Commonwealth governments. It will then be made public.
The Group will be supported by Commonwealth Secretariat staff led by Ms Katalaina Sapolu, Senior Director of the Governance and Peace Directorate.
Jakaya Kikwete
Jakaya Kikwete
Other members of the Commonwealth Observer Group are:
Dr Lesley Clark - Gender Specialist, Australia.
Mr Gary Dunn - Former Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, Australia.
Mr Omar Jallow - Politician, The Gambia.
Dr Emmanuel Akwetey - Executive Director, Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), Ghana.
Mr Prosper Bani - Politician, Ghana.
Hon Emmanuel Bombande - Senior Mediation Adviser, United Nations, Ghana.
Dr Shahabuddin Yaqoob Quraishi - Former Chief Election Commissioner of India, India.
Mr Orrette Fisher - Elections Consultant, Jamaica.
Ms Jedidah Waruhiu - Commissioner, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Kenya.
Adv. Notemba Tjipueja - Chairperson, Electoral Commission, Namibia.
Dr Eric Kwa - Lawyer, Papua New Guinea.
Mr Ernest Sagaga - Head, Human Rights & Safety, International Federation of Journalists, Rwanda.
Mrs Marcella Samba-Sesay - Chairperson National Election Watch (NEW), Sierra Leone.
Ms Crystal Orderson - Regional Director, The Africa Report, South Africa.
Ms Joy Napier - Commonwealth Youth & Human Rights Representative, St Kitts & Nevis.
Ms Elizabeth Donnelly - Deputy Head & Research Fellow, Chatham House, United Kingdom.
Ms Linda Duffield - Retired Diplomat and Former Chief Executive, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, United Kingdom.
Mr Musa Mwenye - Former Attorney General, Zambia.