Nigeria Must Get It Right in 2023 for Africa's Sake

The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has said it is concerned about the success of Nigeria’s 2023 general elections due to its position in the region and the African continent as a whole.

They raised the concern yesterday in Abuja when a delegation of ECOWAS Pre-Election Fact Finding Mission to Nigeria led by Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, former Chairman, the Electoral Commission of Ghana, visited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Director, Political Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Remi Ajibewa, said that they were in Nigeria for fact-finding ahead of the country’s 2023 general elections in line with ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol 2021 to observe elections in Nigeria.

He said that ECOWAS looks forward to successful and credible elections in West African countries, especially Nigeria in 2023, given the leadership role the country played in the sub-region.

He said, “We all know the importance Nigeria holds, given the fact that, as they used to say, if Nigeria sneezes, the whole of West Africa catches a cold and we don’t pray that will be the result. So, we are here to listen to you, to see the area of challenges that we might also report.”