Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has advocated stronger ties and deeper collaboration among Election Management Bodies, EMBs in the West African.
The INEC boss noted that working more closely together by the electoral bodies is key to deepening democratic governance across the region.
Yakubu stated this in Banjul, The Gambia, where he is currently attending the Extraordinary General Assembly of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions, ECONEC.
During the meeting, member countries will, among other things, review and adopt a revised draft of the ECONEC statutes.
One of the significant proposals for consideration is the creation of Africa’s first-ever electoral resource-sharing database.
Speaking to his fellow electoral commissioners, Prof. Yakubu, who previously served as president of the ECONEC Steering Committee, took a moment to honour past members of the Network who contributed to strengthening democratic institutions not just in their home countries but across Africa.
Yakubu recalled how he had proudly announced that every country in the sub-region was under democratic rule in 2017.
Sadly, he observed, that was no longer the case. He regretted that today, four countries in the region are no longer practicing democracy.
Yakubu, however, was optimistic and expressed the hope that democracy would soon return to the affected nations.
He also informed the Assembly that he was attending the ECONEC meeting for the final time as Chairman of INEC, because his tenure ends later this year.
Several EMB heads also added their voices to the call for deeper regional collaboration.
Stories emerged earlier this week that the INEC boss had been removed by President Bola Tinubu and replaced by a successor.
However, the report turned out to be fake as Yakubu remains in his position as the INEC boss until future announcement is made.
