Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire—The former Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, GCON, has been appointed to lead the powerful joint African Union (AU) and ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM), spearheading the regional effort to ensure the integrity of the forthcoming presidential election in Côte d’Ivoire.
According to a dispatch released by ECOWAS on Wednesday, Professor Osinbajo, who arrived in the Ivorian economic capital, Abidjan, on 20 October 2025, has since convened a series of high-level consultative meetings with critical stakeholders in the electoral process.
Professor Osinbajo, accompanied by his deputy, H.E. Baboucarr Blaise Ismaïla Jagne, and Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, initially held technical consultations with experts from the ECOWAS team and the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).
The core message conveyed by the head of the mission during these engagements was unambiguous: both ECOWAS and the African Union stand ready to support Côte d’Ivoire in delivering an election on Saturday, 25 October 2025, that is free, peaceful, and transparent.
This commitment is materially evidenced by the substantial deployment of over 250 observers by the two continental and regional organisations.
The diplomatic itinerary included significant meetings with key figures shaping the election landscape. Professor Osinbajo held consultations with candidate Mr. Ahou Don Melo; Mr. Yapi Koffi Evariste, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Ibrahime Coulibaly-Kuibiert, President of the Independent Electoral Commission; and Mr. Réné Bourgoin, President of the High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA).
In all his discussions, Professor Osinbajo reaffirmed the unwavering collective commitment of both the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union to actively promote peace, stability, and robust democratic principles throughout the West African sub-region.
The mission’s presence signals the regional bloc’s determination to uphold democratic standards and ensure a credible outcome to the critical Ivorian poll.
