The West African Elders’ Forum (WAEF) has deployed a pre-election fact-finding mission led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to Sierra Leone ahead of the country’s general elections scheduled for June 2023.

This is contained in a statement on Wednesday by Wealth Ominabo, Ca spokesperson for the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF), the host of WAEF.

Mr Ominabo said the fact-finding mission also had former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President of The Gambia, Fatoumata Tambajang, as members.

He said the team would interface with major political leaders and other key stakeholders in Sierra Leone, to deepen the confidence and trust of the citizens in the electoral process.

“The two-day mission in support of inclusive and peaceful general elections is billed to begin today (Wednesday)

“Members of the missions will hold consultations with the country’s political actors and stakeholders, including the civil society, diplomatic corps, electoral management bodies and agencies.

“This is in a bid to ascertain the level of preparedness towards conducting free, fair and credible elections,’’ he said.

Mr Ominabo said the mission to Sierra Leone was in line with the forum’s objective of promoting preventive diplomacy to reduce electoral-related tension and violence in Africa.

“Beyond its engagements in Sierra Leone, WAEF is scheduled to carry out a similar mission to Liberia, two nations that hold general elections in 2023,” Mr Ominabo said.

He said that after Nigeria’s February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, WAEF deployed a team of former presidents to consult with some of the presidential candidates and other key stakeholders.

He said the team was talking to the stakeholders about peace to ensure no post-election violence.

Sierra Leone’s 2023 elections will be the country’s sixth democratic election and the fifth since the end of the civil war in 2002.

(NAN)