The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) has elected a new 5-member Steering Committee for the next two years (2019-2021) with Maria do Rosario Lopes Pereira Goncalves, Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Cabo Verde as President.
The election which took place at the end of ECONEC 6th Biennial General Assembly on Wednesday in Abuja part produced Newton Ahmed Barry, Chairman of CENI, Burkina Faso as 1st Vice President, Momarr Alieu Njai, Chairman of IEC, The Gambia; 2nd Vice President, Amadou Ba-Chair CENI, Mali; Treasurer and Jean Mensa, Chair EC Ghana as Deputy Treasurer.
The Steering Committee is to be assisted by the Permanent Secretary of the Network and the Head of the ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division (EAD), Sourou Francis Gabriel Oke.
In a communiqué signed by the newly elected President, Pereira Goncalves, the Assembly commended the outgoing Steering Committee and Staff of the Secretariat and stressed the need for consolidation of the gains achieved under
the leadership of the outgoing Steering Committee led by Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“In accordance with provisions of the ECONEC Statute, the General Assembly adopted a unanimous Resolution conferring the title of Honorary President of ECONEC on Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in recognition of his exemplary leadership and contributions to the promotion of democracy and good governance in the ECOWAS region.
“The next regular Biennial General Assembly is scheduled to take place in Praia, capital of Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) in 2021”, the Communiqué read.
President Muhammadu Buhari while declaring the General Assembly open, charged ECONEC to ensure the consolidation of democracy in the West African Sub-Region through peer support by Electoral Management Bodies, EMBs.
Buhari noted that it was significant that the 6th Biennial General Assembly of ECONEC opened with a symposium on inclusivity with young people, women, persons with disabilities actively participating as speakers, saying, it was a sign of the steady progress in ensuring that all segments of the society have a voice in the management of public affairs through the democratic process.
The President who was represented by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to Government of Federation assured ECONEC of Nigeria’s continued assistance because credible election in the sub-region is not only good for democracy and periodic elections but it is also good for overall sub-regional stability.
The immediate past President of ECONEC Yakubu, INEC and ECONEC had expressed the Network gratitude to the bilateral assistance in terms of electoral logistics consistently extended by the successive Nigerian Governments to countries across the sub-region, including vehicles, motorcycles, boats, voter registration machines and professional expertise.
He also appealed to ECOWAS to continue to strive to actualize the vision of establishing the electoral logistics depot at Lungi in Sierra Leone from which countries in need can draw such facilities as ballot boxes and trucks for movement of election materials without each country having to procure its own materials with every election.
James Kwen, Abuja
