Chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group and the immediate past Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, GCON has arrived in Abuja from Sierra Leone after the completion of the country’s elections.
Osinbanjo who his plane landed on Wednesday was received by the Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Adams Oshiomole, Senator Bamidele and other distinguished Senators at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.
The Quest Times had reported that on Saturday, 17 June, Sierra Leoneans and many others in the Commonwealth paid attention to him as he took charge of the observation of the then forthcoming elections, which held this weekend.
The vice president of the most important African country, Nigeria 2015-2023- seems to herald what may be his new platform-an itinerant global statesman whose charm and diplomatic skills would now be used to help sort out international problems such as overseeing the Sierra Leonean elections and ensure a “peaceful, fair and credible election.”
The West African nation holds its presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24, and Osinbajo’s remit is to chair a 12-person Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) for the country’s elections.
Upon his arrival, the Nigerian former Vice President meet with key stakeholders and political leaders in Sierra Leone to discuss ways of ensuring a peaceful and credible election.
Osinbajo was immediately joined by recognised dignitaries from various fields including politicians, legal, media, gender, and election administration professionals from across the Commonwealth to carry out the task.
The professor who doubled as the Senior Advocate of Nigeria ( SAN) assignment was to document the credibility of the election as the world watches with bated breath to see who will emerge as the new leader of this vibrant and resilient nation.
As Sierra Leoneans gear up to cast their votes, Osibanjo as COG chair was spending hours meeting with the likes of Justice Rohini Marasinghe, Chairperson of The Human Rights Commission and Former Supreme Court Judge, Sri Lanka, strolling along the nations polling units, all to ensure the promotion democracy and good governance.
In what observers have dubbed a top-notch preparation effort the former vice president used his official Twitter account to wave goodbye to five observer teams that are scheduled to disperse around Sierra Leone for the upcoming polls hours before they begin.
“Their task will be to assess the pre-election environment, oversee the actual polling day, and monitor the post-election vote counting.”
The COG Group also met Commissioners of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion and the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone and visited their situation rooms to ensure a credible election.
In Freetown, the nation’s capital city, voters trooped out peacefully to cast their votes for their favourite candidates as the former vice president “keenly watching voters exercise their rights.”