Former President Jonathan in Freetown Ahead of Sierra Leone’s General Elections
The Head of the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) 2023 Election Mission to Sierra Leone, former President Goodluck Jonathan, has arrived in Freetown ahead of the country’s general elections scheduled to hold on Saturday, June 24, 2023.
The one-time President of Nigeria announced this on Wednesday via his Twitter handle @GEJonathan.
“Just arrived in Freetown, where I am leading the team from the West Africa Elders Forum (WAEF) Election Mission to Sierra Leone ahead of the country’s general elections scheduled for this weekend.
“WEAF will work with other stakeholders here to help encourage and support a peaceful and credible poll.
“I thank the Government and the people of Sierra Leone and staff of the Nigeria High Commission in Freetown for their warm reception. -GEJ,” he tweeted.
Furthermore, the Communications Officer, Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF), Wealth Ominabo, said via a statement made available to news reporters in Abuja that Jonathan arrived in Sierra Leone on Wednesday to encourage and support a peaceful democratic transition in the country.
Ominabo quoted Jonathan as urging citizens of the country to be patriotic in discharging their civic responsibility in the election.
“The mission urges citizens of Sierra Leone to approach the election with utmost patriotism by prioritizing the nation’s peace and stability and refrain from acts capable of undermining the nation’s democracy,” he quoted Jonathan as saying.
Ominabo listed members of the mission to include Kadre Ouedraogo, the former Burkinabe Prime Minister and one-time president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); and members of staff from the WAEF secretariat.
He said that the team would have series of consultative engagements with different political actors and key stakeholders in Sierra Leone.
These, according to him, include leadership of the political parties, the candidates, the Election Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), security agencies, the diplomatic community, civil society groups and the media.
“Since its establishment in 2020, WAEF, an initiative of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, has undertaken missions to different countries in the sub-region, including Gambia and Nigeria.
“This is in line with the Forum’s mission of preventive diplomacy to reduce electoral-related tension and violence in West Africa,” Ominabo said.
NAN/ Amaka E. Nliam
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