Senegal Election: ECOWAS To Ensure Adherence To Best Practices
By Adoba Echono
Ahead of Senegal’s Presidential election which would take place on Sunday, March 24, 2024, the Head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Observation Mission, Professor Ibrahim Gambari has affirmed that the bloc will ensure best practices are accomplished.
Professor Gambari who stated this when he arrived, Dakar the Senegalese capital, reiterated the regional bloc’s commitment to ensuring free, fair and transparent election in a peaceful atmosphere.
Professor Gambari who thanked the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, for the opportunity to serve in that capacity to observe the Presidential election in Senegal said the bloc is ready, willing and able to accompany the electoral process.
“The ECOWAS Commission has put together two sets of observers which comprise long and short term. The short term observers are dispatched closer to the time of the elections, whiles the long term observers go in before, during and after the elections.
Professor Ibrahim Gambari in an interview on the Facebook page of the ECOWAS Commission pointed out that, the observers comprise of very senior persons of the Commission, experts’ lawmakers from the Community Parliament and the Community court among others.
“The Observers Mission is made up of one hundred and thirty (130) people which attest to the importance and commitment ECOWAS attaches to supporting the people of Senegal in their elections and to ensure free and fair elections.
“Senegal in the 70s had been one of the countries to opt for multiparty democracy; they have set an example of change of government by constitutional means and the legacy should continue. All the stakeholders in Senegal should come together to ensure that we have peaceful and credible elections; the impact is not only for the development of Senegal but for the region”.
Professor Ibrahim Gambari is the immediate past Chief of Staff to the Nigerian President, former Foreign Minister of Nigeria and also former UN under Secretary General in charge of political affairs.
