-NEC Boss warns
By Jerromie S. Walters
Amid concerns from opposition supporters about its credibility to transparently conduct the pending elections, the Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC) Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah wants political parties’ leaders and supporters to be mindful about their utterances, says the Commission is committed to delivering fair, credible and transparent elections.
At a news conference mid Tuesday, September 26, 2023, Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah warned against acts that have the proclivity to undermine the institution’s integrity, as she affirmed that the Commission has zero tolerance for fraud.
“We should all be mindful about our utterances, saying that the Commission will cheat, when we are participating in these processes. Because you who claim that the Commission will cheat and you are participating in the process, when you win, you would be telling the Liberian people that the Commission cheated for you to win.”
She added, “Please, let’s guide our utterances- the same organization that is to confirm legitimacy on you, is the same organization you are denigrating and bringing to public disrepute that we are cheaters here.”
Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah further articulated, “We don’t cheat any, what is in the ballot box, is what we will process, and is what we will announce. Let me also say this, the Commission works through Liberians, we will have more than 30, 000 Liberians to work, these Liberians are working under oaths.” With this, NEC Boss guaranteed the Commission’s commitment in ensuring that the electoral processes are conducted in a transparent and credible manner.
Amid recent concerns about the publication of the final voter roll by the National Elections Commission (NEC), MontserradoCounty Senator Abraham Darius Dillon said the electoral body doesn’t seem to be ready to fairly conduct the October 10, 2023, elections.
On Friday, September 22, 2023, supporters of the opposition Unity Party (UP) gathered at the Headquarters of the National Elections Commission (NEC), in an endeavor to know the status of the publication of the final list of the voter roll, by the Commission (NEC). “We need to increase the temper and pressure on the Elections Commission to ensure that the final voter roll will be published, and submitted to political actors and stakeholders.”
In his opinion, “Davidetta Browne is very unprofessional, something is hunting this lady and the country will suffer it. We want to say to our people, that the Elections Commission doesn’t seem to be ready, even the remaining of the funding, 3.2million have not been received yet by the Elections Commission.”
This followed several other concerns by the opposition, as they have repeatedly questioned the Commission’s credibility- to fairly conduct the pending elections.
On multiple occasions, the opposition- especially the Unity Party (UP) has complained about a possible malpractice, as they believe the Commission will conspire with the ruling establishment to rig the process.
This has also resulted to several threats of instability from opposition leaders and their supporters. In a short video that recently resurfaced on the internet, Liberia’s former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai controversially gave the Unity Party’s (UP) position on any attempt by the ruling establishment to rig the October 10, 2023, presidential election.
According to him, if the current government effectuate any attempt to rig the presidential election, it will be the end of the country. “If they think they’ll steal this election, you will not allow it because if you do it, that’s the end of this country. We are not going to allow that to happen,” Amb. Joseph Nyuma Boakai articulated.
As expected, scores of supporters of the Unity Party (UP) openly confined in the statesman’s troubling disclosure, and committed themselves to making Liberia unstable, if they suspect an act of electoral fraud in the pending process.
Earlier at the news conference on Tuesday, it was disclosed by Madam Davidetta Browne Lassanah announced that the Commission has certified about 662 international observers, and 5, 981 local observers, which amounts to 6,643 observers.
Conspicuously, It can be referenced that European Union Election Observation Mission to Liberia which is charged with mandate to observe all aspects of the electoral process and assess the extent to which the elections comply with international and regional commitments for elections, as well as with the laws of Liberia, on Saturday, September 9, 2023, deployed a team of twenty Long-Term Observers across the fifteen political sub-divisions of Liberia.
Speaking at the deployment ceremony at the famous Boulevard Hotel in Monrovia, the Deputy Chief Observer of the EU-EOM Jarek Domański said the deployment of the elections observers follows the invitation of the government of Liberia.
