Goodluck Jonathan emerges Chairman of International Summit Council for Peace
Former President Dr Goodluck Jonathan has urged African Union (AU) to set
minimum acceptable standards for appointing the leadership of electoral
commissions as a means of building citizen confidence and ensuring
credibility of elections on the continent.
The former President stated this on Friday at the International Leadership
Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he emerged as the
chairperson of the newly inaugurated International Summit Council for Peace
(ISCP), a body made up of mainly African former Presidents and ex-Heads of
State. The two-day conference tagged ‘Africa Summit and Leaders
Conference 2019’ has in attendance government officials, former African
Heads of State, clergy and traditional rulers from across Africa. South African
President was represented by Mr. Gwade Mantashe, national chairperson of
the African National Congress (ANC) and minister of mines and energy.
In a keynote speech titled ‘The Need for Good Governance and Peaceful
Electioneering Process in Africa’ former President Jonathan noted that the
credibility and legitimacy of electoral processes are hugely dependent on the
competence, impartiality and independence of electoral management bodies
(EMBs).
He also stressed that many African nations face election-related crises in
cases where the citizens have no confidence in the electoral process,
especially when they suspect that the election umpires do the bidding of the
partisan appointing authorities.
The former President said: “It is interesting that almost all the EMBs in Africa
are identified with the prefix ‘Independent’, but the jury is still out on whether
these agencies are truly independent as their names imply.”
As a means of deepening democracy on the continent Jonathan therefore
urged the African Union to establish minimum standards and benchmarks for
constituting electoral management bodies and encourage member-nations
to ratify such declaration.
He said: “The AU should, through its Political Affairs Department, set up a
team of electoral experts to study different models and recommend the
system they consider best for the continent.
“Such benchmark should also take cognizance of the need to review the
election of judicial processes to ensure that, where election tribunals are set
up to specifically handle election cases, one judicial officer do not handle the
role of appointing all members of the tribunals.
“Since neutrality of the security services is absolutely necessary in ensuring
free and fair elections, it is also important that the Africa Union should
establish a code of conduct guiding security officials in charge of elections.
All these recommendations should be accommodated in AU’s procedures for
elections that should serve as guidelines for election observers.”
Jonathan praised South Africans for the peaceful conduct of last May’s
national and provincial elections, adding that the credibility of the process
stemmed from the fact that all the stakeholders in the elections had
confidence in the electoral commission and the security systems.
He said further: “Once you get to that point where all role players in elections
can express confidence in the umpire and the security systems, you would
have solved more than 70% of your electoral challenges. Sadly, not many
African countries have got to this point. The point where they can beat their
chest and boast of political freedom, inclusiveness, independence of the
electoral management body and credibility of the political process.”
As the Chairman of International Summit Council for Peace the former
President is expected to lead the charge for the association’s crusade for
peace and good governance on the continent.
Speaking further Jonathan argued that “Africa’s leadership problem has more
to do with weak institutions than the case of leaders serving in office for long
periods of time. When the democratic institutions are strong they will develop
firewalls that will resist attempts to alter the constitution and manipulate
electoral processes for selfish reasons.”
According to the President: “Democracy is not about holding periodic
elections but conducting credible, transparent, free and fair polls. African
elections must meet minimum acceptable standards for democracy to be
beneficial to the people of the continent.
“African nations must improve their electoral processes by establishing
systems that will support and deliver credible elections. That is the impetus
the continent needs to achieve lasting peace that will catalyse growth and
sustainable development
.https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/jonathan-emerges-chairman-of-international-summit-council-for-peace/?fbclid=IwAR2zRqISqeWfAeeotJcpaww54KalQ-Ar98-zXKpzD2YkWTa_i_JSI8RBMrw
minimum acceptable standards for appointing the leadership of electoral
commissions as a means of building citizen confidence and ensuring
credibility of elections on the continent.
The former President stated this on Friday at the International Leadership
Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he emerged as the
chairperson of the newly inaugurated International Summit Council for Peace
(ISCP), a body made up of mainly African former Presidents and ex-Heads of
State. The two-day conference tagged ‘Africa Summit and Leaders
Conference 2019’ has in attendance government officials, former African
Heads of State, clergy and traditional rulers from across Africa. South African
President was represented by Mr. Gwade Mantashe, national chairperson of
the African National Congress (ANC) and minister of mines and energy.
In a keynote speech titled ‘The Need for Good Governance and Peaceful
Electioneering Process in Africa’ former President Jonathan noted that the
credibility and legitimacy of electoral processes are hugely dependent on the
competence, impartiality and independence of electoral management bodies
(EMBs).
He also stressed that many African nations face election-related crises in
cases where the citizens have no confidence in the electoral process,
especially when they suspect that the election umpires do the bidding of the
partisan appointing authorities.
The former President said: “It is interesting that almost all the EMBs in Africa
are identified with the prefix ‘Independent’, but the jury is still out on whether
these agencies are truly independent as their names imply.”
As a means of deepening democracy on the continent Jonathan therefore
urged the African Union to establish minimum standards and benchmarks for
constituting electoral management bodies and encourage member-nations
to ratify such declaration.
He said: “The AU should, through its Political Affairs Department, set up a
team of electoral experts to study different models and recommend the
system they consider best for the continent.
“Such benchmark should also take cognizance of the need to review the
election of judicial processes to ensure that, where election tribunals are set
up to specifically handle election cases, one judicial officer do not handle the
role of appointing all members of the tribunals.
“Since neutrality of the security services is absolutely necessary in ensuring
free and fair elections, it is also important that the Africa Union should
establish a code of conduct guiding security officials in charge of elections.
All these recommendations should be accommodated in AU’s procedures for
elections that should serve as guidelines for election observers.”
Jonathan praised South Africans for the peaceful conduct of last May’s
national and provincial elections, adding that the credibility of the process
stemmed from the fact that all the stakeholders in the elections had
confidence in the electoral commission and the security systems.
He said further: “Once you get to that point where all role players in elections
can express confidence in the umpire and the security systems, you would
have solved more than 70% of your electoral challenges. Sadly, not many
African countries have got to this point. The point where they can beat their
chest and boast of political freedom, inclusiveness, independence of the
electoral management body and credibility of the political process.”
As the Chairman of International Summit Council for Peace the former
President is expected to lead the charge for the association’s crusade for
peace and good governance on the continent.
Speaking further Jonathan argued that “Africa’s leadership problem has more
to do with weak institutions than the case of leaders serving in office for long
periods of time. When the democratic institutions are strong they will develop
firewalls that will resist attempts to alter the constitution and manipulate
electoral processes for selfish reasons.”
According to the President: “Democracy is not about holding periodic
elections but conducting credible, transparent, free and fair polls. African
elections must meet minimum acceptable standards for democracy to be
beneficial to the people of the continent.
“African nations must improve their electoral processes by establishing
systems that will support and deliver credible elections. That is the impetus
the continent needs to achieve lasting peace that will catalyse growth and
sustainable development
.https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/jonathan-emerges-chairman-of-international-summit-council-for-peace/?fbclid=IwAR2zRqISqeWfAeeotJcpaww54KalQ-Ar98-zXKpzD2YkWTa_i_JSI8RBMrw
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