By Lewis S. Teh
The ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) leads the list of political parties that are allegedly involved in consistent violations of campaign finance regulations, ahead of Tuesday, October 3, Presidential and Legislative Elections, data released by Integrity Watch Liberia reveals.
Executive Director Harold Aidoo, in a news conference Wednesday at its data center at UN House in Monrovia noted that the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change tops the list of political parties that are engaged in constant violation of campaign financing regulations.
Releasing the outcome of the second edition of its political parties campaign financing regulations monitoring exercise in all 15 counties of Liberia, Mr. Aidoo details that the second preliminary findings encompass three key areas, including findings on abuse of incumbency, findings on contributions and expenditure restrictions, and public disclosure indicators.
He explains that his team of monitors in the counties found the abuse of incumbency to be pervasive across Liberia’s political landscape with violations such as misuse of state resources, unfair advantages for incumbent candidates, and breaches of campaign finance regulations across multiple counties.
Executive Director Aidoo points out that the ruling CDC emerged as a frequent violator, raising concerns about the equitable use of state resources during campaigns.
He adds that Independent Candidates and other political parties were also implicated in various violations, which highlights the need for consistent monitoring and enforcement of campaign finance regulations throughout the electoral process.
On contributions and expenditure restrictions, findings reveal a complex web of campaign finance practices, with multiple political parties and Independent Candidates involved in flagrant violations.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
Montserrado County stands out with a high number of reported violations in this category. Mr. Aidoo emphasizes the urgency of robust oversight and enforcement mechanisms.
“These violations point to a potential lack of adherence to campaign finance regulations, which can undermine the fairness and integrity of the electoral process”, he points out.
As it relates to public disclosure indicators, Harold narrates that there are alarming numbers of candidates across several counties who have refused to disclose their financial activities to the public, noting that this reluctance to provide transparency and accountability in campaign finance practices raises significant concerns.
“Transparency and public disclosure are fundamental pillars of democratic governance, and refusals to disclose financial information threaten the credibility of the political process.”
Besides Integrity Watch Liberia reveals that Montserrado County tops the list of counties involved in frequent violations with 30 registered cases, and the ruling CDC alone accounts for 21 of those violations, surpassing other opposition parties, and independent candidates. Editing by Jonathan Browne
