Pre-election Mission: Jonathan leads West African elders to Ghana, meets candidates, others

The West African Elders Forum (WAEF), on Monday began its pre-election assessment mission in Accra ahead of Ghana’s presidential elections scheduled to take place on 7 December.

The mission, led by Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan, also has as members Kadre Desire Ouedrago, former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso and former president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission as well as staff of the secretariat of the forum.

Members of the delegation who arrived in Accra last weekend commenced their consultations as part of WAEF’s efforts to minimise election-related conflicts and promote free and fair elections in the region.

So far they have met with Mahamudu Bawumia, presidential candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), who is also the incumbent Vice President, John Mahama, former President and flagbearer of the main opposition party National Democratic Congress (NDC), as well as civil society groups.

The WAEF delegation is billed to continue its engagements on Tuesday by meeting other stakeholders including the leadership of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, the Electoral Security Task Force and the National Peace Council (NPC).

Speaking on the mission, Mr Jonathan stated that the Forum’s mediation efforts are part of a broader objective to prevent election-related conflicts in the region.

Describing poorly organised elections as major sources of conflicts in the region, the former president noted that the Forum’s mediation role is directed towards “ensuring that elections are conducted properly and that regional and international protocols governing elections are adhered to, to prevent conflicts.”

He described Ghana as one of the most stable democracies in West Africa, adding that the country has built a reputation for peaceful elections.

“Compared to most African countries, Ghana is on the positive side and a good example of the practice of democracy. We are very hopeful that even the next election will go the same way,” he said.

The scheduled 2024 polls will be Ghana’s 9th consecutive general elections since the 4th Republic began in 1992.

The West African Elders Forum (WAEF), which has Mr Jonathan as the convener, is a home-grown, non-partisan platform of past Heads of State, elder statesmen and women and the Government of West Africa, designed to provide mediation, conflict resolution, and interlocutory role in resolving election-related conflict, supporting/promoting democracy, peace, and security in the sub-region.

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According to Ann Iyonu, head of WAEF secretariat, the Forum, since its inception in 2020, has successfully played an active role in mediating peaceful elections in the Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and recently Senegal.

“This is in line with its principal objective of accompanying West African countries in their various efforts at consolidating their democracies,” she said.

Ikechukwu Eze

S.A. to H.E. Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan