The National Democratic
Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) are fielding a
joint delegation to assess preparations for Nigeria’s Feb. 14 presidential and
parliamentary elections.
Members of the
delegation are: Ambassador (retired) George Moose, former U.S. assistant
secretary of state for African Affairs and vice chairman of the board of
directors of the U.S. Institute of Peace; Brigalia Bam, former chairman of the
Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa; Patrick Muyaya, member of parliament from the
Democratic Republic of Congo; Pauline Baker, former president of the Fund for
Peace; Michael Bratton, distinguished professor of political science and
African studies at Michigan State University; Robert Lloyd, professor of
international relations at Pepperdine University and senior fellow at the
Atlantic Council’s Africa Center; Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and
regional director for Central and West Africa at NDI; and Gretchen Birkle,
regional director for Africa at IRI.
The mission’s
findings will be presented at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
The delegation will assess the
state of preparations for next month’s elections, including the legal and political
environment, through meetings with the Independent National Electoral
Commission, presidential candidates, political party leaders, members of the
National Assembly, and representatives of civil society, the media, the
international community and government.
The mission reflects the
international community’s interest in and support for Nigeria’s electoral
process.
The delegation will conduct its
activities in a nonpartisan manner in accordance with applicable law and
international standards for election monitoring set forth in the Declaration
of Principles for International Election Observation.
Over the last 25 years, NDI has
conducted more than 150 election observation missions in 62 countries, including
fielding international observation delegations for the 1999, 2003, 2007 and
2011 Nigerian elections.
Since 1983, through
international election observation missions and assessments, IRI has monitored
204 elections in 57 countries, including the 1998, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011
Nigerian elections.
Since Nigeria's transition from
military to civilian rule in 1999, NDI and IRI have worked closely with civic
and political organizations to support the development of the country's
democratic institutions. NDI is currently engaged in an Electoral Empowerment
of Civil Society Project, led by a consortium of partners, including NDI, the
Centre for Democracy and Development - Ghana, Search for Common Ground and
World Learning. This five-year initiative, funded by the U.S. Agency for
International Development and the U.K.’s Department for International
Development, aims to: 1) improve impartial observation, accurate reporting on,
and recording of election vote totals by domestic election observers during and
after the 2015 election cycle; 2) improve management within Nigerian partner
civil society organizations; and 3) increase participation by marginalized
groups in Nigeria political processes.
IRI is supporting political party development
through a program that engenders more inclusive political processes as well as
a greater culture of government accountability within Nigeria. This
three-year initiative, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development,
1) strengthens Nigerian political parties’ internal democracy in preparation
for the 2015 electoral cycle and beyond; 2) strengthens the role and position
of women, youth and persons living with disabilities within political party
structures; and 3) improves the ability of political parties to develop and
communicate issue-based platforms, taking into account various constituencies,
including women, youth and persons with disabilities.
The National Democratic
Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and
strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation,
openness and accountability in government..
A non profit, nonpartisan organization,
the International Republican Institute advances freedom and democracy worldwide
by helping political parties to become more issue-based and responsive,
assisting citizens to participate in government planning, and working to
increase the role of marginalized groups in the political process – including
women and youth.
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Politics