Former Nigerian Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has arrived in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to head the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Election Observation Mission for the country’s upcoming presidential election scheduled for October 25.
Osinbajo, who served as Nigeria’s Vice President from 2015 to 2023, will lead a 187-member ECOWAS delegation tasked with monitoring the election process.
According to a statement released by ECOWAS on Tuesday, the mission is part of the regional body’s commitment under its 2001 Additional Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which aims to promote peace, stability, and credible democratic processes across West Africa.
The ECOWAS team will work alongside 66 observers from the African Union. Among the observers are 150 short-term monitors, 15 long-term electoral experts, and 22 young observers participating under ECOWAS’ youth integration initiative for election observation. The long-term observers began their work earlier in October, tracking pre-election activities and preparations.
On his arrival in Abidjan, Osinbajo was received by Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, and the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire, Fanta Cissé, among other officials.
Expressing his delight at leading the mission, Osinbajo described Côte d’Ivoire as a “peaceful and welcoming nation” and urged all stakeholders to ensure that the elections are conducted peacefully and in line with regional and international standards.
Supporting Osinbajo in his role are Baboucarr Blaise Ismaïla Jagne, a former Foreign Affairs Minister of The Gambia, and Mahamat Saleh Annadif, former Foreign Affairs Minister of Chad.
The Ivorian presidential election comes at a crucial time for the West African nation. President Alassane Ouattara, who is 83 years old, has announced his intention to seek a fourth term, a decision that has drawn both support and criticism ahead of the October 25 polls.
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