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Ex-Ghanaian President Mahama Leads Election Mediation Team To Nigeria

Published

3 years ago

February 19, 2023

Former Ghanaian President John Mahama will lead the West African Elders Forum Election Mediation Team to Nigeria for the 2023 general elections.

The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in a statement by its Communications Officer, Wealth Ominabo, in Abuja on Saturday said Mahama and his team are billed to arrive in Abuja on February 22.

Ominabo said the team was expected to be on the ground for the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections as well as the March 11, state elections.

He listed other members of the team to include former President Goodluck Jonathan; former Beninese President, Boni Yayi, and former Vice President of the Gambia, Fatoumata Tambajang.

Also in the team are former Burkinabe Prime Minister and president of the Economic Community of West African States Kadre Ouedraogo and former Deputy Chair of the African Union, Dr Erastus Mwencha.

Ominabo said the GJF Executive Director and Coordinator of the WAEF Secretariat, Ann Iyonu, disclosed that the focus of the forum is to interface with key stakeholders and provide the necessary support that would ensure peaceful elections.

Iyonu added that the leaders would be working with key stakeholders in the elections as well as the observer missions, to ensure a crisis-free process before, during, and after the elections.

“Unlike other observation missions, the forum has a special focus on election-related conflicts, and the Elders will be on the ground for a longer time.

“The forum made up of former Presidents and Heads of Government in West Africa will be interacting with the candidates, political parties and members, the citizens, the election umpire, observers, and other key stakeholders all the time.

“The leaders will be looking out for crisis triggers, with the mind of nipping them in the bud by offering mediatory roles and giving relevant advice to ensure peaceful polling, based on their personal experiences as former leaders of the sub-region.

“The leaders will also be calling for individual accountability by those who by their actions or inactions undermine the democratic process and endanger lives,” Iyonu said.

Ominabo recalls that during the Gambian elections in December 2022, WAEF carried out a similar engagement where they deployed a team led by Jonathan.

He said the presence of the WAEF team in The Gambia and their mediatory activities, especially after the elections, helped resolve post-election tensions that threatened the integrity and outcome of the poll.

He added that WAEF team would be in Abuja to witness the second signing of the National Peace Accord by presidential candidates and chairpersons of political parties.

NAN

Related Topics:Goodluck Jonathan Foundation

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Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

6 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

6 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

6 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.