President assures EU on May 29 hand-over
date
Jaiyeola Andrews in Abuja

Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS), on Monday cautioned President
Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari to refrain from hate speeches capable
of overheating the polity.
Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and
Security at the commission, Salamatu
Suleiman, made the disclosure while speaking
with State House correspondents shortly after
the commission’s team visited President
Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa.
He said :”The President of ECOWAS
(Ouedraogo) said the observers went to all
the different geo-political zones and they
made observations on issues relating to
distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards
(PVCs) and other issues.
“These issues as the President said were
deemed necessary to share with the
President of the country (Jonathan), INEC
and the leading opposition party, the APC.
“One of the issues is that our long term
observer missions noticed that there was a lot
of hate media, hate speeches being
distributed, it is not good for our polity and is
heating up the polity.
“And the President (Ouedraogo) has spoken
to all stakeholders to look into lessening this
aspect in the electoral process and I think it
is an aspect the media can help greatly in
addressing.
“This is a very important election for Nigeria,
Nigerians are concerned, ECOWAS
Community is very much concerned that it all
comes out very well and that we all owe it as
a duty to say very positive things that can
move this nation forward.”
Earlier, President, ECOWAS Commission,
Kadre Desire Ouédraogo, told journalists that
“ECOWAS by virtue of its mandate, is to
monitor and observe all the electoral
processes in our community. To that effect,
we have sent a fact-finding mission to Nigeria
led by John Kufuor former President of
Ghana. We have set up a long term
observation that came into the country, they
were deployed in the five geo-strategic zones
of the country and they made their report.
“Inspite of the postponement of the elections,
there was a de-briefing with them and we
think is us necessary to share their
observations with all the stakeholders and it
is in that respect of that we came this
morning to inform His Excellency about the
findings and recommendations of our fact-
finding mission.
“We are going to engage with all the
stakeholders, the APC candidate and INEC to
share with them the findings if our
observation mission.
“We have also issued a declaration following
the postponement of elections, appealing for
calm and understanding and also appealing
to all authorities to make sure the constitution
is respected.”
Meanwhile, Chief of Observer, European
Union (EU), Santiago Fisas, yesterday said
Jonathan restated his commitment on May
29 hand over date to a new government.
Fisas spoke to State House correspondents
shortly after the EU team visited Jonathan at
the Presidential Villa on Monday.
“As the Chief of Observer European Union, I
must meet with all the candidates for these
elections. I met twice with Gen. Buhari and
today yesterday President Jonathan very
kindly accepted to receive me and my team,
the EU Ambassador, the Deputy of Observer
European Union, colleagues, just to have
exchange of views about the elections.
“I am very happy to be assured by the
President that the inauguration of the next
president will take place on May 29th. I think
this is very good news because this is
constitutional” Fisas said.
Asked if he believed what the president told
him, the EU chief observer said “yes. I do not
see why I should doubt that. The President
said that publicly and also to us. We asked
questions on security and he said to us that
in a very short period of time the security
situation will improve a lot.”
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