Whether confronting protesters, fencing with reporters, wading into friendly crowds, or wooing the high and mighty leaders around the world, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has always wielded personal charm, which sets him apart as a leader who understands the centrality of people in politics and governance.
In Kings College, London, earlier this year, Osinbajo lectured African scholars, academicians, and leaders on the issues of climate change and just energy transition- and many of them were caught by TV cameras nodding in apparent agreement.
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.”
At the time of writing this report, voting has ended and the counting of votes was ongoing, the election THE QUEST TIMES gathered was largely peaceful across different parts of the country.
However, the chair of the COG Group was sighted checking off with some important personalities, such as the former Nigerian President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to ensure that counting was as credible and violence free as the polls.
Members of the Commonwealth Observer Group include Mr John Njie, National General Secretary (Executive Director) of The Gambia YMCA & National Coordinator of the CSO Transitional Justice Working Group, The Gambia, Lady Anande Trotman-Joseph, President, Caribbean Women in Leadership & Chairperson, Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies, Grenada Dr Nasim Zaidi, Former Chairman & Chief Election Commissioner, India, and Hon Justice Amraphael Mbogholi Msagha, Retired Judge, Kenya.
Others include Mr Sangwani Mwafulirwa, Director, Media and Public Relations, Malawi, Dr Elsie Nghikembua, Chairperson, Electoral Commission, Namibia, Ms Cynthia Mbamalu, Co-Founder and Director of Programmes, Yiaga Africa, Nigeria, Mr Glen Mashinini, Commissioner, Electoral Commission, South Africa.
Mr Wesley Gibbings, Journalist/Media Trainer, Trinidad & Tobago, Ms Elizabeth Lwanga King, Development Advisor and Former UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Representative in Sierra Leone, Uganda.