Message to the People of Nigeria By H.E Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (Head of the ECOWAS Observation Mission to Nigeria)
22 Feb, 2019
Good people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and fellow ECOWAS citizens.
Tomorrow, you will have the privilege to vote for leaders of your choice, and in doing so consolidate the country’s young democracy. The process has not been easy, but nothing worth fighting for is. The people of Africa Stand in solidarity with you.
We extend thanks, admiration and gratitude to the Nigerian people for their patience in the face of the last minute interruptions to their lives with the postponement of the 2019 general elections.
We have watched the progress of INEC over the past week working with domestic and international partners in addressing the logistical and technical challenges. We are pleased that these operational constraints have been significantly addressed thus creating a conducive atmosphere for tomorrow’s general elections. This signals a deepening and the building of confidence in the electoral process.
We commend you, brothers and sisters across the length and breadth of this great country for remaining calm and resilient as these concerns were addressed. The signing of the 2019 National Peace Accord, facilitated by the National Peace Committee, is a further demonstration of the commitment of Nigeria to democracy. We are confident that the same level of maturity will be demonstrated during the remaining phase of the electoral process.
We applaud Nigeria for the pivotal role played in maintaining peace and the restoration of democracy in our sub-region. Several ECOWAS Member States, including Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia are today considered post conflict success stories because of Nigeria’s proactive peacekeeping role.
We now call upon the national leaders and the people of Nigeria to continue to maintain peace and adhere to the rule of law. We look forward to joining a proud nation in the celebration of a successful election.
On behalf of all the international observer missions present in Nigeria, I wish the people of Nigeria the blessings and guidance of the almighty God.
