Jonathan arrives Freetown ahead of Saturday’s general election in Sierra Leone

The Head of the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) 2023 Election Mission to Sierra Leone, former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday, arrived in Freetown ahead of Saturday’s general election in the country.

The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Communications Officer (GJF), Wealth Ominabo, stated this in a statement made available to reporters in Abuja.

Mr Ominabo said that Mr Jonathan, also the forum’s chairman, is in Sierra Leone to encourage and support a peaceful democratic transition in the country.

He quoted the former president as urging citizens of the country to be patriotic in discharging their civil responsibility in the election.

“The mission urges citizens of Sierra Leone to approach the election with utmost patriotism by prioritising the nation’s peace and stability and refrain from acts capable of undermining the nation’s democracy,” he quoted Mr Jonathan.

Mr Ominabo listed members of the mission to include Kadre Ouedraogo, the former Burkinabe Prime Minister and one-time president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); and members of staff from the WAEF secretariat.

He said the team would have a series of consultative engagements with different political actors and key stakeholders in Sierra Leone.

According to him, these include leaders of the political parties, candidates, the Election Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), security agencies, the diplomatic community, civil society groups and the media.

“Since its establishment in 2020, WAEF, an initiative of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, has undertaken missions to different countries in the sub-region, including Gambia and Nigeria.

“This is in line with the Forum’s mission of preventive diplomacy to reduce electoral-related tension and violence in West Africa,” Mr Ominabo said.

(NAN)