Pursuant to the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, an 80-observer mission will be deployed to Niger for the presidential runoff election. The mission will be led by H.E. Namadi Sambo, former Vice-President of Nigeria.

Abuja, Nigeria, 17 February 2021. On 21 February 2021, the Republic of Niger will hold its presidential runoff election. This follows the declaration of the final results of the first round of the presidential election of 27 December 2020 by the Constitutional Court, the nation’s top court in charge of election matters, on Friday, 29 January 2021. In the runoff election, the candidate of the ruling party, Mr Bazoum Mohamed of the PNDS Tarayya will run against the former President Mr Mahamane Ousmane of the RDR Tchanji.

Pursuant to the provisions of its Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance which stipulates that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) shall provide support to Member States during elections, the regional organisation will deploy an election mission to observe the presidential runoff election.

The main objective of the mission will be to ensure the smooth running of the electoral process for a free, transparent, and credible election in Niger. Led by H.E. Namadi Sambo, former Vice-President of Nigeria, the mission will be composed of 80 observers from ECOWAS Member States with the exception of Niger, the ECOWAS Court of Justice, and the Community Parliament.

Observers will be deployed to all eight regions of the country to observe, monitor, and comment on all electoral processes. The observation will focus on the regularity, transparency, fairness, and smooth conduct of the presidential runoff election. The observation mission of the presidential runoff election in Niger will be supported on the ground by a technical support team from the ECOWAS Commission.

At the end of the election, after a debriefing session, the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission will express its opinion and make recommendations, if necessary, to the various stakeholders in the electoral process. This will be done through a preliminary statement to be read by the head of the mission at a press conference scheduled to be held in Niamey, the capital of Niger.

ECOWAS calls on the two candidates as well as their supporters to ensure that the election is transparent and takes place in peace, tranquility, and national cohesion.