KEY POINTS

• A WAEF delegation led by former President Goodluck Jonathan will lead a WAEF delegation to Ghana for the December7, 2024, elections.
• Jonathan appealed to Ghanaians to uphold democratic values, and conducting peaceful, free and transparent elections.
• WAEF appeals to the Electoral Commission and the security agencies to be neutral and professional throughout the electoral process.

Former Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan arrived in Accra, Ghana on Wednesday to head a delegation of the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) to observe country’s general elections set for Dec. 7, 2024.

This was confirmed by WAEF’s communications officer, Wealth Dickson Ominabo in a statement to the News Agency of Nigeria.

On arrival, Jonathan called on Ghanaians to demonstrate patriotism and be actively involved in maintaining peaceful, free and transparent elections.

Mission of WAEF delegation members

The WAEF mission also features other distinguished figures, including former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso and ECOWAS president Mr. Kadre Ouedraogo; Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Ms. Anne Iyonu; and Special Adviser to Jonathan, Ikechukwu Eze.

Ghanaians have proved beyond any reasonable doubt to have long standing commitment to democratic values, with the gains being the history of peaceful political transition which has become a model for the rest of Africa,’ Jonathan praised.

The upcoming elections are an opportunity for Ghanaians to re-dedicate itself to democracy, to stability and to development, he stressed.

Fairness in election campaigning is urged

They also called on the Electoral Commission of Ghana to carry out its mandate of holding free and fair elections, where there is transparency and credibility during the process.

Security agencies were called upon to maintain professionalism and neutrality in the electoral process so as to guard against bias and violence during the electoral process.

Jonathan further urged, “WAEF admonishes the Electoral Commission of Ghana to do its mandate of a free and fair election while ensuring transparency and incorruptibility of the process to gain the confidence of the electorate and other stakeholders.”

The delegation said that with political campaigns closing, all political parties were needed to conduct peaceful campaigns without hate speech, inflammatory rhetoric and personal attacks.

Protecting Ghana’s democratic footprint

Finally, he urged youth and the party’s supporters to remain law abiding both during and after the election. He said electoral integrity should be respected and warned against acts of intimidation and violence. He called for the resolution of any disputes in lawful and constitutional ways.

Ghana, according to Jonathan, is a beacon of democracy in Africa, and he urged Ghanaians to protect the legacy of democracy it has become by rejecting all forms of electoral violence, intimidation or actions, which might derail the process.

He said that Ghanaians ‘can again take their country back to being a model for democracy founded on a tradition of free, fair, peaceful and transparent elections if they continue with what they are doing now.’