Former Nigerian Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo and six other West African leaders, on Thursday, inaugurated the West African Elders Council to prevent and resolve election-related conflicts in the region.

The body will also play a role in maintaining stability in the sub-region. According to the statement, the event was held virtually.

This was contained in a statement titled, “Jonathan, Obasanjo, Sirleaf, five other former Presidents inaugurate the Elders Forum to promote democracy, good governance in West Africa,” signed by the Communications Officer, Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Wealth Ominabo.

Jonathan, who initiated the forum, described it as an initiative aimed at leveraging the rich resources of eminent personalities in West Africa to promote peace and support processes that enhance sustainable democracy.

He was quoted as saying, the vision “is to harness the experience and wisdom of our region’s eminent leaders to advance the course of political stability and the quest for economic progress and prosperity in our countries.”

In his remarks, former President Obasanjo stressed the need for leaders to work individually and collectively, “to deal with post-pandemic development like governance to build an inclusive society within our respective societies in West Africa.”

Also, a former Liberian President, Ellen Sirleaf said, “Many of us have been involved in mediations and interventions either as individuals or sometimes as part of institutional arrangements to achieve the objective of good governance, peace and security. But we have lacked a collective African effort and this is what this group will bring.”

Speaking at the event, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, said, “We have seen the efforts of ECOWAS in establishing democracy in the subregion. I am happy that President Goodluck Jonathan has deemed it fit to establish this forum of eminent personalities to alleviate the problems we encounter in establishing democracy and also in fighting insecurity.”

The statement added, “The leaders resolved to collectively exert their enormous goodwill towards ensuring peace in West African nations, by promoting credible elections and good governance, in order to prevent the nations from descending into crises.”

Other former Presidents, who participated in the virtual event were Pedro Pires Cabo Verde, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Liberia, Amos Sawyer Liberia, Ernest Bai Koroma Sierra Leone as well as former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Mrs. Aminata Traore, former Senegalese Prime minister.