Mahama leads Ecowas observer mission for Liberia polls

Former President John Dramani Mahama is leaving Accra Thursday for Liberia’s capital of Monrovia as leader of the elections Observer Mission of sub-regional bloc Economic community of West African States (Ecowas).

The Mission will be in Liberia to observe next Tuesday’s polls, which appears to be between Vice President Joseph Boakai and former footballer George Oppon Weah. There are nine other presidential candidates. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is ineligible to stand after being in office for two terms.

A statement issued by Mr Mahama’s Special Aide, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, on Thursday said as a former Chair of the Ecowas Authority of Heads of State and Government, Ghana’s former president has been celebrated “for his commitment to ensuring the stability of the sub-region and the continent generally”.

“His tenure as Chair saw the quick handling of various subregional crisis including the Burkina political turmoil, the election dispute in Togo and the outbreak of Ebola in three West African countries including Liberia.”

He has, since leaving office in January 2017, been helping “to entrench democracy and stability in Africa”. He was leader of the Commonwealth observer group for Kenya’s disputed August elections.