By Linus Aleke
The ECOWAS Special Envoy and Mediator to Mali and former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has tasked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), member states to deploy technology in the conduct of elections to minimize or eradicate electoral fraud in the sub-region.
Former President Jonathan gave this task while speaking as a panelist at the ongoing 2022 First Extra-Ordinary Session held in Monrovia the capital city of Liberia.
He said that if full technology is deployed in all the stages involved in the electoral process the elections will not only be free and fair but will eliminate the manipulation and rigging of election results.
“When technology is deployed across the board you will find out that people can even vote from the comfort of their homes or in their cars and by so doing politicians will no longer have the opportunity to engage thugs and criminals to stuff ballot boxes, cause mayhem and disrupt the electoral process. If technology is deployed, African Presidents who refuse to relinquish power even when they have lost election will find it difficult to manipulate the process because it will be the prerogative of the people to choose to vote them out or allow them to continue in power,” he explained.
The Special Envoy and Mediator to Mali gave a highlight of his journey on peace mediation in the conflict in Mali.
He explained that despite the mediation efforts of his team to find a lasting solution to the political crisis in Mali the Military junta is still proving stubborn. This is why according to him the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States and Government imposed sanctions on the junta in Mali.
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He said that though the negotiations are still ongoing, he is very optimistic that his team will find a lasting solution to the crisis
The former President also blamed the political class for being responsible for the upheaval and current challenges bedeviling the sub-region.
He said that ECOWAS leaders should strive to meet up with the primary responsibility of setting up the sub-regional body which is for economic integration and development.
Former President Jonathan was highly applauded by Members of the ECOWAS Parliament for being among the few incumbent African President who demonstrated the ideals of statesmanship and a true democrat by relinquishing power to his opponent when it was obvious that he has lost the election even before the final result was declared.
