Former President Jonathan leads international delegation to Liberia
- Ex-President Jonathan expresses his joy to lead NDI's delegation to Liberia
- The presidential election in Liberia ends President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's tenure
- The election will be a milestone in the democratic history of Liberia
As leader of the delegation of the United States’ National Democratic Institute (NDI) International Elections Observation Mission to Liberia’s presidential run-off polls, slated to hold on Tuesday, December 26, former President Goodluck Jonathan was set to arrive Monrovia on Sunday, December 25.
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The election is between the ruling Unity Party candidate and current Vice President, Joseph Nyumah Boakai, and George Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
The NDI delegation comprises 35 political and civic leaders, elections experts and regional specialists from 18 countries across Africa, Europe and North America. They are: Atifete Jahjaga, former president of Kosovo, Hanna Tetteh, former minister of foreign affairs of Ghana, and NDI regional director, Christopher Fomunyoh.
Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan's media adviser, quoted Jonathan thus: “I am honoured to co-lead NDI’s international delegation to support transparent and peaceful elections in Liberia, especially given the close relationship Nigeria has always had with this country.”
Former President Jonathan, who is also the chairman of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation was initially invited as co-lead of the NDI team for the last October 10 presidential elections in Liberia but did not attend the event due to his commitments to attend the 15th Rhodes Forum in Greece.
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However, the ex-president promised to honour the second invitation by NDI, which is a United States – based organization in charge of supporting and strengthening democratic institutions internationally.
According to NDI, the election ”represents a historic moment for Liberia, as the country will have the first opportunity for a peaceful transfer of power from one democratically-elected president to another. These polls would also mark the end of tenure for President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female democratically-elected president in Africa.”
NDI delegates have been meeting with the National Elections Commission, government officials, political leaders and civil society organizations, after which they will observe polling places on election day. Having made a reputation for impartiality and professionalism, NDI has organized at least 150 international election observer delegations in 62 countries.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that former Ballon d’or winner George Weah and Liberian Vice-President Joseph Boakai headed for a run-off in Liberia's presidential election. Nearly all the results from Tuesday, October 10, poll had been counted, the election commission says.
Weah, the first and only African to win the Ballon d'Or football award, was leading with 39%, while Boakai was in second place with 29%.
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Source: Legit.ng
