INEC Chairman calls for stronger regional ties at ECONEC General Assembly in Gambia

Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has urged Election Management Bodies (EMBs) across West Africa to deepen collaboration and foster stronger partnerships in a bid to strengthen democratic governance in the region. Prof. Yakubu made the call on Thursday while addressing participants at the Extraordinary General Assembly of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) currently holding in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia.

The high-level meeting brings together heads of electoral bodies from across the sub-region, with a key focus on adopting a revised draft of ECONEC’s statutes. One of the major highlights of the agenda is the proposal to establish Africa’s first electoral resource-sharing database a landmark initiative aimed at boosting collaboration and capacity building among EMBs on the continent.

Addressing the gathering, Prof. Yakubu, who is a former president of the ECONEC Steering Committee, expressed appreciation for the support he received during his tenure and paid tribute to past and present members of the Network. He commended their collective efforts in advancing democratic values and maintaining ECONEC’s relevance. Reflecting on the 2017 ECONEC meeting in Sierra Leone, the INEC Chairman recalled announcing that all countries in the region were under democratic rule. However, he expressed regret that the democratic landscape has since deteriorated, with four nations currently under non-democratic regimes. Despite this, he remained hopeful that democracy would be restored in those countries.

Prof. Yakubu also revealed that this would be his final ECONEC engagement as INEC Chairman, with his tenure set to end later this year. He thanked the regional body and his counterparts for their years of cooperation and urged them to continue promoting electoral integrity and regional solidarity. Other EMB heads echoed similar sentiments, praising ECONEC’s technical support and its instrumental role in promoting credible elections and democratic governance throughout West Africa.

The Extraordinary General Assembly has drawn participants from Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. During his stay in Banjul, Prof. Yakubu is also expected to accompany current ECONEC President, Mr. Konneh Mohamed Kenewui of Sierra Leone, on key stakeholder engagements with Gambian authorities. These visits form part of ECONEC’s Needs Assessment Mission ahead of The Gambia’s 2026 presidential elections.