Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, who is on an observer mission in Nigeria, on Saturday, was surprised after the postponement of the elections in the West African country.
The decision came after a dramatic night-time move by Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to have the presidential and parliamentary elections delayed by a week.
The National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) leader, however, took to social media to express her disappointment in the decision.
“Ready at 6am for our observer mission but alas! The Election was postponed at 2am! 5 hours to the opening of the polling stations. Really sad for Nigeria and democracy in Africa,” her tweet read.
The announcement by the commission’s chairman Mahmood Yakubu came in just five hours before the polls were due to open, citing logistical issues as the cause.
Ngilu was the only Kenyan politician selected in the 38-member delegation owing to her political prowess and the fact that she was the first woman to vie for the presidency in Kenya.
She was supposed to serve alongside former Botswana president Festus Mogae, former Latvian President Vaira Vike Freiberga, former US envoy to several African nations Johnny Carson and former Gambian Vice President Fatoumata Tambajang among others.
Her role will enable her to oversee the signing of the National Peace Accord between the leading candidates - President Muhammadu Buhari and his main rival, former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The treaty will ensure that stakeholders commit to accepting the outcome of the result that the Independent National Electoral Commission will announce.
The presidential and parliamentary elections have been rescheduled for Saturday 23 February.
