Former President Goodluck Jonathan has embarked on a mediation mission to Senegal ahead of Saturday’s presidential election.
Accompanied by members of the West African Elders Forum (WAEF), Jonathan said the move is to facilitate peaceful and credible elections in the West African nation.
The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation’s communications officer, Wealth Ominabo, announced the mission in a statement released in Yenagoa on Thursday.
Jonathan, who serves as the chairperson of WAEF, led the delegation from Abuja to Dakar, where they will engage with key stakeholders until next Wednesday.
Among the members of the delegation is Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former special representative of the secretary-general and head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel.
During their stay in Dakar, the team plans to discuss with various stakeholders, including outgoing President Macky Sall, opposition leaders, civil society representatives, security authorities, and officials from the electoral commission.
Ann Iyonu, the executive director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation and head of the WAEF secretariat, emphasized the forum’s role as a platform for mediation.
She stated that the forum is committed to providing advisory and conflict resolution services to mitigate election-related conflicts in the West African sub-region.
Iyonu highlighted the composition of WAEF, which comprises former presidents and statesmen with extensive leadership experience who have volunteered to contribute to peace and progress in the region.
The statement noted that WAEF had previously played similar mediation roles during elections in The Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.
”In Dakar, the forum will observe the electoral processes and continue engaging political leaders and stakeholders to ensure a peaceful and successful conclusion to the Senegalese election,” she added.