Photo Caption: Sourced Photo of Joy Napier with a background of the St. Kitts and Nevis flag.
By: Staff Writer
BEVERLY HILLS, February 01, – The Commonwealth has deployed a 20-member Observer Group, led by former President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, for the February 16 Nigerian presidential election. Joy Napier, St. Kitts and Nevis’ CARICOM Youth Ambassador is among the 20 member Observer group.
Joy Napier presently serves as an Ambassador for One Young World. The head administrator of the Nevis International Secondary School holds a BA in Political Science from Wellesley College in Boston and a General Course certificate in Sociology from the London School of Economics. Spanning 2008-2010, she held the role of PRO and Vice President respectively of Wellesley’s Caribbean Student Organization – Women for Caribbean Development.
In addition, Ms. Napier worked at the London based Henry Jackson Society, where she was tasked with organizing guest speakers to address the House of Commons in the British Parliament. Also, Napier was a 2010 fellow of the Madeline Albright Institute for Global Affairs focusing on the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.
According to press statement, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, constituted the observer group following an invitation from Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Josephine Latu-Sanft, Commonwealth Secretariat’s Senior Communications Officer said:
Members of the group included politicians, diplomats and experts in law, human rights, gender and election administration from across the Commonwealth. Among the delegation is St.Kitts-Nevis CARICOM Youth Ambassador Ms Joy Napier.
The release had Mrs Josephine Latu-Sanft quoted Ms Scotland as saying:
That an advance group of observers was deployed to Nigeria on January 28, while other members of the team were expected to arrive in Abuja on February 8.
The observers would assess whether the elections have been conducted in accordance with the standards for democratic elections to which Nigeria has committed itself, with reference to national legislation and relevant regional, Commonwealth and international commitments.
The press release states:
Where appropriate, the Group could also make recommendations for the future strengthening of the electoral framework.
The Commonwealth Observer Group would consider the pre-election environment and election preparations.
Members would be deployed to various regions of the country where they will observe the voting, vote-counting and results procedures.
The Group would submit its final report for consideration by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, and she will in turn share it with the Government of Nigeria, INEC and political parties.
The Secretary-General would also convey the report to all Commonwealth governments after which the report would then be made public.
The Group would be supported by Commonwealth Secretariat staff led by Katalaina Sapolu, Senior Director of the Governance and Peace Directorate.
Along with Joy Napier, the Other members of the Commonwealth Observer Group are:
Lesley Clark of Australia; Gary Dunn, former Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General from Australia; Omar Jallow from The Gambia.
Emmanuel Akwetey, Prosper Bani and Emmanuel Bombande, all from Ghana.
Shahabuddin Quraishi from India, Orrette Fisher from Jamaica and Jedidah Waruhiu from Kenya
Notemba Tjipueja from Namibia, Eric Kwa from Papua New Guinea, Ernest Sagaga from Rwanda and Marcella Samba-Sesay from Sierra Leone.
Crystal Orderson from South Africa, Elizabeth Donnelly from United Kingdom, Linda Duffield, also from United Kingdom, and Musa Mwenye from Zambia.
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