Deprecated: Function gmstrftime() is deprecated in /home/governan/public_html/231gc/config.php on line 21

Deprecated: Function gmstrftime() is deprecated in /home/governan/public_html/231gc/config.php on line 21
Governance Commission Liberia ...



Latest News

Sawyer leads ECOWAS Mission to observe Niger's Election

The Chairman of the Governance Commission and former Liberian Interim President Prof. Amos Sawyer has successfully led an ECOWAS Electoral Observation Mission to the Nigerien 2016 Presidential and Legislative Elections. In a preliminary statement of the Mission, Prof. Sawyer declared that the elections were conducted in a calm and peaceful atmosphere and the Nigerien people demonstrated high level of patience and civic responsibility during the electoral process despite delays in the opening of polls. The statement also noted that “the counting process and the validation of ballot papers in the polling stations took place in a transparent and credible manner and in the presence of the delegates of political parties and the election observers”.
On Election Day (February 21) Prof. Sawyer observed the opening, conduct, closing and counting of votes at several polling stations around the capital, Niamey. Prof. Sawyer was accompanied by the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Her Excellency Sallamatu Hussaini-Suleiman, and the Director of Political Affairs at ECOWAS, Dr. Aderemi Ajibewa.
Ahead of the election, Prof Sawyer held meetings with major Nigerien stakeholders and political actors to assess the situation and to assure the political actors and the Nigerien people of ECOWAS’ commitment to supporting their processes of democratization and state - building. He noted that ECOWAS has led several missions to the country since 2015 to support the national institutions and to promote peaceful political dialogues ahead of the 2016 elections. During the meetings, he emboldened Nigerien political actors to conduct themselves peacefully, and ensure that their conducts during the electoral period are within the framework of the laws.
Key institutions and personalities met by Prof. Sawyer ahead of the election were the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Constitutional Court, the High Authority on Communication, The President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Interior, leaders of opposition political parties, alliances and coalitions, other observer groups including the African Union, the West Africa Economic and Monetary Union and the United Nations.
The ECOWAS Election Observation Mission to Niger led by Prof. Sawyer was made up of 130 observers drawn from the ECOWAS Council of the Wise, Ambassadors accredited to the ECOWAS Commission, members of the ECOWAS Parliament, and the ECOWAS Court of Justice. Mission also included experts from Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Electoral Management Bodies of ECOWAS Member States as well as representatives of Civil Society Organizations and the Media. Prof. Sawyer was supported by a technical team from the ECOWAS Commission in performing his duties as Head of Mission.