Labour Party National Chairman Julius Abure has joined other global political leaders, at the invitation of the United States government, to observe the U.S. presidential election.
This information was disclosed by Obiora Ifoh, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, in a statement.
The stage is set for the November 5, 2024, election, with Vice President Kamala Harris, representing the Democratic Party, and former President Donald Trump, representing the Republican Party, locked in a close race to the finish.
In a message shared on his verified Twitter handle, Abure announced, “I have just arrived in Washington, D.C., at the invitation of the U.S. Government to join other political parties and world leaders in participating in a series of activities leading up to the election, as well as to observe the election itself.
“Hopefully, the experience gathered will help shape and reshape election processes in Nigeria. I’ll keep all my followers and Labour Party members informed of developments.”
Additionally, Ifoh stated that Seray Jah, the Country Director for The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Nigeria, had previously sent an invitation letter to Abure.
Ifoh said the letter read: “I am writing to invite you to participate in the 2024 IFES United States Election Program (USEP), which will take place from Sunday, November 3 to Wednesday, November 6 at the Marriott Marquis in Washington. DC.
“Every U.S. Presidential Election, IFES hosts its U.S. Election Program, gathering electoral stakeholders from around the world to learn firsthand about the American election process and discuss democracy and elections from comparative international perspectives—the 2016 Election Program — the last in-person Program — featured 550 participants from 90 countries.
“The Program features a series of exchanges ahead of election day on key concepts and issues impacting elections and germane to elections in every country, specifically focusing on the U.S. case. Participants learn about the decentralized U.S. election experience, election dispute resolution and the role of the Federal Election Commission, the rights of states to conduct elections per their systems and regulations, and the relationship between campaigns, election authorities, candidates, media, and the voters.
“On election day, participants tour polling Stations across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia to see how neighbouring territories conduct their elections using different technology and procedures. The event is capped off by an election night event and a post-election day debrief.
“IFES strongly believes that the U.S. Election Program represents a valuable opportunity for you to gain knowledge and insights on effective party governance, campaign strategies, internal party democracy, inter/intra-party dispute resolutions, and develop skills to improve their parties’ electoral performance and engagement with voters. Through this Program, you will explore these vital topics, fostering a deeper understanding of the U.S. electoral system and its comparative experiences while interacting with peers worldwide.”
