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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Former Tanzanian Prime Minister to lead Commonwealth Observer Group for Nigeria elections

1 April 2003

Former Tanzanian Prime Minister to lead Commonwealth Observer Group for Nigeria elections
Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon today announced that the Commonwealth Observer Group for the National Assembly and Presidential Elections in Nigeria will be led by HE Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, former Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania. The National Assembly Elections are scheduled for 12 April and the Presidential Election for 19 April 2003.

The Observer Group has been established in response to an invitation from the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and with the support of the country's main political parties. The Group will consist of fourteen eminent Commonwealth citizens, supported by eight Commonwealth Secretariat staff.
The fourteen Observers are:

HE Dr Salim Ahmed Salim (Chairperson)
Former Prime Minister and
OAU Secretary-General
United Republic of Tanzania

Mr Hugh Craft
Former diplomat
Australia

Hon Fatima Hajaig
Member of National Assembly
South Africa

Hon Sandy Lee
Member, Legislative Assembly
of the Northwest Territories
Canada

Ms Shamima Ali
Director, Women's Crisis Centre
Fiji Islands

Mr Ron Gould
Former Deputy Chief Electoral Officer
Canada

Hon Dr Princess Baba Jigida
Member of Parliament
Sierra Leone

Mr Stuart Mole OBE
Director
Royal Commonwealth Society
United Kingdom

Mr Gabriel Mukele
Vice-Chairman
Electoral Commission
Kenya

Ms Emmaline Pierre
Deputy Chairperson
Caribbean Regional Youth Forum
Grenada

Mr M A Syed
Chief Election Commissioner
Bangladesh

Mr John Musukuma
Secretary-General
Southern African Broadcasting Association
Zambia

Mr Norman Sigalla
Former Deputy Co-ordinator
Africa Youth Caucus
United Republic of Tanzania

Ms Jill White
Former Member of Parliament, and former Mayor of Palmerston North
New Zealand

The Staff Support Team will be led by Mr Matthew Neuhaus, Director of the Political Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat.

The Observers have been invited in their individual capacities and the views they express regarding the elections will be their own and not those either of their respective Governments or of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The Terms of Reference for the Observer Group are as follows:
The Group is established by the Commonwealth Secretary-General at the request of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is to observe relevant aspects of the organisation and conduct of the National Assembly and Presidential Elections in accordance with the laws of Nigeria. It is to consider the various factors impinging on the credibility of the electoral process as a whole and to determine in its own judgement whether the conditions exist for a free expression of will by the electors and if the results of the elections reflect the wishes of the people.

The Group is to act impartially and independently. It has no executive role; its function is not to supervise but to observe the process as a whole and to form a judgement accordingly. It would also be free to propose to the authorities concerned such action on institutional, procedural and other matters as would assist the holding of such elections.

The Group is to submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will forward it to the Government of Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the leadership of the political parties taking part in the elections and thereafter to all Commonwealth Governments.

Note to Editors
Dr Salim Ahmed Salim was Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania from 1984 to 1985 and Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity from 1989 to 2001.
Two Commonwealth 'Advance Observers' have been in Nigeria since 11 March 2003. Commonwealth Observers were also present for the second phase of voter registration in February 2003. A Commonwealth Secretariat Assessment Mission was in Nigeria from 24 February to 1 March 2003. The main group will start its work on Thursday 3 April 2003.
This will be the 42nd Observer Group to have been constituted by the Secretary-General since October 1990 and the second time that the Commonwealth will have observed elections in Nigeria: a Commonwealth Observer Group was present for the 1999 elections.

For further information, please contact: Daniel Woolford, Nicon Hilton, 1 Aguiyi-Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria;
Tel: +234 9 4131811,
Mobile: +234 803 706 9939
Fax: +234 9 4132418 or 19.

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