The ECOWAS Election Observation Mission said the 28th September 2013 legislative elections in Guinea took place in “acceptable conditions of freedom and transparency.”
In the Preliminary Declaration of the 100-strong mission read by the Head of Mission, Edem Kodjo at a Press Conference in Conakry on 29th September, 2013, the mission said the “few shortcomings observed could not be attributed to any deliberate attempt by any party to
undermine the integrity of the electoral process,” but mostly to “poor mastery of the process and genuine logical challenges.”
“The shortcomings observed did not prevent the electorate from freely expressing their constitutional right to vote” continued the declaration.
The Mission urged the Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) to announce the provisional results within the stipulated time limit and called on “all unauthorized stakeholders to abstain from speculating on or declaring unofficial results.”
The mission whose members observed the exercise in the country’s eight regions encouraged the government to “continue with the dialogue and reconciliation efforts and to ensure the involvement and participation of all political actors in the process of institutional reforms.”
Political parties should also “ensure that their candidates and supporters comply with the existing electoral regulations and procedures, and the rule of law, and resort to exclusive legal means
in seeking redress for any grievances emanating from the electoral process.”
The Mission congratulated the Head of State, Government and the citizens for demonstrating “commitment and tenacity in concluding the democratic transition in the country,” and also applauded political parties and their candidates “for their peaceful conduct throughout
the electioneering period,” while encouraging them to maintain the tempo.
The Mission, which was supported by a technical team led by the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Toga McIntosh, also thanked the International Community, particularly the UN Office in West Africa (UNOWA) for their support to the democratic transition in Guinea and for facilitating the constructive dialogue that culminated in the
conduct of election.
The ECOWAS Observation Mission to Guinea was deployed by the Commission’s President, Kadré Desire Ouedraogo within the ambit of the 2001 regional Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance pertaining to electoral assistance and monitoring in
Member States.
The Mission observed the elections in Boké, Conakry, Faranah, Kankan, Kindia, Labé, Mamou, and Nzérékoré, where about 60% of the 5,094,644 registered voters reside. Guineans voted to fill the 114 seats in their national legislature.
