ECOWAS head of mission okays deployment of observers across Senegal

ABUJA, Nigeria, March 26, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Head of the ECOWAS Observation Mission to the 25th March 2012 presidential re-run elections, His Excellency Koffi Sama, has endorsed the deployment schedule for observers, some of whom are leaving Dakar, the Senegalese capital, today to their various destinations across the 14 regions of the country.

The Mission comprises members of the ECOWAS

Council of the Wise, representatives of the ECOWAS Parliament and Court of Justice, ECOWAS Ambassadors, representatives of civil society organizations as well as electoral experts from Member States, including National Electoral Commissions.

At the deployment session, Mr. Sama briefed the 100 observers on the activities undertaken so far by the Mission since its arrival in

the country, including consultations with key stakeholders. In particular, he referred to his meetings with the National Electoral Commission, the Minister in charge of Elections and the Movement of June 23 (M23).

The Head of Mission also held talks with former President of Nigeria and Head of the African Union (AU) Observation Mission, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who arrived in Senegal yesterday as well as Mr. Macky Sall, who is running against President Abdoulaye Wade.

Mr. Sama is due to meet the Senegalese President and other stakeholders.