Showing posts with label African Union observer mission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label African Union observer mission. Show all posts

Saturday, April 2, 2011

African Union observer mission to Nigeria's 2011 Elections



1 Apr 2011 20:37 Africa/Lagos

African Union observer mission to Nigeria's 2011 Parliamentary and Presidential elections / Arrival statement

ABUJA, April 1, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- African Union observer mission to Nigeria's 2011 Parliamentary and Presidential elections / Arrival statement

1. In response to the invitation of the Independent National Electoral

Commission of Nigeria (INEC), H. E. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African

Union (AU) Commission, dispatched an Observer Mission to Nigeria to

observe the country's National Assembly (House of Representatives and

Senate) and Presidential Elections, which will be conducted on the 2 and 9

April, 2011 respectively

2. The AU Observer Mission is led by Mr. Ahmed Issack Hassan, the

Chairperson of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission of Kenya

(IIEC). The Mission is composed of 40 members drawn from Elections

Management Bodies (EMBs), National Parliaments, the Pan African

Parliament, Ambassadors, eminent persons and members of civil societies

from various African countries. Egypt, Kenya, Malawi and Uganda also

sponsored delegates to the Mission. The Mission is assisted by a team of

technical staff from the AU Commission Headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia.

3. The Mission Observers are from Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya,

Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda,

Zambia and Zimbabwe.

4. The AU Observer Mission arrived in Nigeria on March 27, 2011 and will

remain in the country until April 13, 2011.

5. The purpose of the Mission is to make an objective, independent and impartial

observation of the National Assembly and Presidential elections. In particular,

the Mission is expected to:

i. Determine whether the National Assembly and Presidential Elections

are conducted in accordance with the country's constitution, electoral

laws, other appropriate laws and the guidelines governing the conduct

of such elections.

ii. Determine whether the election environment is conducive for voters to

participate and exercise their fundamental rights;

iii. Establish whether the participating political parties, agencies and

groups are satisfied with the preparations for and conduct of the

elections;

iv. Evaluate the level of voters' awareness and whether the voters' right to

choose freely and in secrecy are guaranteed, upheld and protected;

v. Identify and record electoral malpractices, if any;

vi. Assess whether the media coverage and conduct are in conformity with

the laid down rules and guidelines;

vii. Evaluate transparency and adequacy of the voting, counting and

collation processes; as well as the announcement of the results; and

viii. Establish whether the results of the elections are a true reflection of

the democratically expressed will of the people of Nigeria.

6. The Mission will be guided by the AU Declaration on the Principle Governing

Democratic Elections in Africa and the 2002 AU Guidelines for Elections

Observation and Monitoring Missions.

7. The Mission is situated at the Ladi Kwali Conference Centre, Tamarind B Room,

Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


Source: African Union Commission (AUC)

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