By Sheriff Mahmud Ismail

The heads of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) Elections Observation Missions (EOMs), former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma and the former Kenyan President Uhuru Kentatta; along with former African Presidents heading EOMs to the Nigerian elections, are pulling together in one direction. This is in pursuit of the common goal of maintaining peace and ensuring an outcome that is acceptable and one which reflects the will of the Nigerian electorates.

The intensification of the preventive diplomacy efforts comes on the back of increasingly loud calls for the cancellation of Nigerua’s Saturday February 25 polls. The calls are being made by a number of political parties including the two major opposition parties – the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of former Vice President Atiku Aboubakar; and the Labour Party of Peter Obie.

Therefore, to hear from all sides and in order to carry out their mandate from an informed position, the former presidents are holding closed -door meetings with the candidates of the main political parties, the security forces. And other key stakeholders. The latest of these intensified diplomatic engagements include meetings with the chairman of Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and the presidential candidate of the ruling All Profressives Congress (APC), of Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

Earlier, the former heads of state held discussions with the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba; and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi.

Throughout these engagements, the well-aclaimed African leaders have maintained that the outcome of these elections would have penetrated far- reaching ramifications for strengthening of democracy and the consolidation of peace and stability in West Africa and on the wider continent.