Côte d’Ivoire 2025:Head of Joint ECOWAS -AU Obeserver Mission H.E Osinbajo Calls fot Credible Polls.
By Raymond Enoch
In a decisive push for transparency and stability ahead of Côte d’Ivoire’s crucial October 25 presidential election, H.E. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, former Vice President of Nigeria and Head of the Joint ECOWAS and African Union Election Observation Mission (EOM), has urged election observers to uphold independence, neutrality, and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
Meeting between October 21 and 23 in Abidjan with key electoral stakeholders, African ambassadors, and members of the ECOWAS delegation, Prof. Osinbajo underscored the regional importance of a credible electoral process, calling it “a pillar for peace, stability, and democracy not just in Côte d’Ivoire, but across West Africa.”
The joint ECOWAS-AU mission, comprising 187 observers drawn from across the continent, will be deployed throughout the country to monitor voting, counting, and collation procedures. Prof. Osinbajo reminded the observers of their mandate to act with complete independence and objectivity, stressing that their role was “in the interest of the Ivorian people” and essential to ensuring that all parties accept the legitimacy of the polls’ outcome.
“Our mission,” he said, “is not only to observe but to help consolidate the democratic gains of Côte d’Ivoire. Fair and transparent elections are the bedrock of sustainable peace and regional stability.”
The meetings come amid heightened anticipation and cautious optimism as Ivorians prepare to elect their next president. The engagement of ECOWAS and the African Union signals strong continental support for a credible process that reflects the will of the people.
As the nation heads to the polls, all eyes remain on Abidjan — where regional observers, under Prof. Osinbajo’s leadership, are expected to play a crucial role in ensuring that the October 25 vote becomes a model of democratic resilience in West Africa.
