TMG elects Auwal Musa Rafsanjani as new chairman

The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has elected Mr. Auwal Musa Rafsanjani as the new Chairman of its Board.

Rafsanjani, alongside other members of the Board, was elected at the group’s Annual General meeting (AGM) that was held on Thursday, August 26, at Zeus Hotel, Mabushi, Abuja.

Earlier in the day, the AGM kick started with an Electoral Summit themed, ‘The Future of Nigeria Election: The Way Forward’.

The Summit looked at various issues that could improve or impede elections in Nigeria with focus on electoral security, internal party democracy, electronic voting and the impact of election litigation on the integrity of electoral process.

Rafsanjani, who is also the Head of Transparency International-Nigeria and the chairman, Board of Trustees, Amnesty International-Nigeria, will now steer the affairs of the flagship election observation coalition in the country for the next four years.

He is known for his consistent engagement of the polity in the last two decades, pushing for sustainable reforms that would bring lasting solutions to Nigerian many crises.

As the flagship of election observation in Nigeria, TMG played a pivotal role in ensuring civic participation by mobilising citizens during Nigeria’s transition programme conducted by the then military regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar between 1998 and 1999.

Since then, TMG has consistently engaged the electoral process in ensuring transparency, accountability and credibility by observing every strand of election in Nigeria.

Others elected by the group included 10 new Board members and state coordinators who were pooled from different demographics to reflect the diversity of the country.

They are: Ms. Mirian Menkiti, Vice Chair; Mr. Tijani Abdulkareem, Treasurer; Ms. Ekaete Judith Umoh, Representing Persons With Disabilities; Mr. Tayo Akinpelu, Representing the Youth; Dr. Abdu-Azis Bako, North Central Coordinator; Sylvester Okoduwa, South South Coordinator; Dr. Joseph Gimba, North East Coordinator; Mr. Adesina Adefolahan, South West; Pastor Gabriel Odom, southeast; and Hajia Fatima Mohammed Umar, North West.

Rafsanjani succeeded Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, who stepped down, having served the required maximum four years single-term in office.