Liberia: ECOWAS calls on citizens to cast their votes in calm
The Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Liberia, Prof. Attahiru JEGA, Tuesday, November 14, 2023, called on citizens to come out massively to exercise their franchise in a peaceful manner to elect their future president of the Republic and consolidate their democracy.
Prof Jega made the statement after visiting three voting centres in the capital Monrovia in Montserrado County. He was accompanied during these visits by Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Josephine NKRUMAH, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Liberia, Mr. Abdou Kolley, Director of Cabinet of the President of ECOWAS Commission, Representatives of the ECOWAS Parliament, Permanent Representative Committee of Ambassadors accredited to ECOWAS and the ECOWAS Council of Wise.
The Head of the ECOWAS EOM also made this call yesterday Monday, November 13, 2023, during his meetings with the two candidates, namely the President George M. WEAH and Mr. Joseph BOAKAI in the company of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mr. Leonardo Santos Simão.
On this Tuesday, November 14, 2023, in the morning, the ECOWAS delegation visited the voting centres of Matilda Newport High School, William V.S Tubman Silver Jubilee Elem. & Jr. High School, before meeting with the ECOWAS Situation Room where it received briefing on the Vote Opening process, per the data received from the various teams deployed in all the 15 counties of the country.
In the afternoon, Prof. Attahiru JEGA and his delegation visited other polling stations at West Point Administrative Building, Police Station, Central Mosque Elementary School, Clara Town Central School, Famina Islamic School, and other polling stations located within Greater Monrovia District. They visited some situation rooms including that of the Association of Youth, WANEP, the Women association, the NGO Election Coordination Committee (ECC) and Liberian Early Warning Mechanism, where they received fields information from the various teams deployed in the country.
Taking stock of the progress of the elections after reviewing the reports of the ECOWAS observation teams submitted through the Situation Room, the Head of Mission noted that the polling stations opened on time, and no major incidents had been reported and appreciated the calm and order prevailing in the various voting centres visited.
He reiterated his appeal to Liberians to persevere in this direction and to allow the relevant authority, the National Elections Commission (NEC), the responsibility to conduct the voting operations till the end. He stressed the need for a climate of peace, tolerance and consensus around the electoral process until its completion.
After a compilation of the reports of observers deployed by ECOWAS, the head of the ECOWAS Electoral Observation Mission will address a press conference on Thursday, November 16, 2023, during which he will make a preliminary statement.
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