By Lincoln G. Peters
The Liberian Council of Churches (LCC) and the Women’s Situation Room (WSR) have described as premature and provocative, the self-proclaimed election victory by the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
Last week, CDC Secretary General and Monrovia Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee and CDCians held victory celebration ahead of the National Elections Commission (NEC) declaring a winner.
The NEC conducted presidential and legislative elections on 10 October 2023 contested by 20 presidential candidates.
None of the contestants acquired 50 percent plus one of the total votes to be declared a winner. The two archrivals, incumbent President George Manneh Weah and opposition Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai are likely to face a run-off.
According to the LCC and the WSR, the statement by Mayor Koijee has the propensity to stir violence and undermine the NEC’s integrity and creditability.
“The Liberian Council of Churches and the Women’s Situation Room see the CDC Secretary General’s victory remarks as premature and a source of provoking violence,” the two groups said.
“We are calling on him and other officials to wait until the final results are announced by the NEC. Even were NEC to announce a run-off, we must be cautious in proclaiming victory before NEC gives the final results,” the statement said Saturday, 21 October 2023 at a joint press conference.
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On Tuesday, 17 October 2023, Mayor Koijee alleged at CDC headquarters that preparations for the inauguration of President George Manneh Weah were well underway for next January.
“Let’s get ready for the inauguration. We want to celebrate like never before,” Koijee told CDCians.
Responding to the CDC Secretary General’s assertions, LCC General Secretary Rev. Christopher Wleh Toe called on the leadership of CDC to inform its partisans to desist from such announcements.
“The Liberian Council of Churches (LCC) and the Women’s Situation Room (WSR) has expressed deep concern about the statement coming from the Secretary General of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).”
Rev. Toe frowned against Koijee for telling partisans to prepare for victory celebration ahead of the official NEC pronouncement of results.
He believed that it would spark violence, urging the NEC to take issue with the CDC and condemn the premature victory remarks.
The Liberian clergyman pointed out that WSR and the LCC maintained that the CDC Secretary General cannot be coming out to make pronouncements of victory when the final tally of results has not been announced by the NEC.
He noted that 99% of the tally clearly states that there will be a run-off election.
On 16 October 2023, the LCC WSR issued a joint statement calling on the citizens of Liberia to remain calm and non-violent as they await the final election results from the NEC.
During the press statement, they also urged the exuberant Unity Party that was in the forefront of calling for a victory celebration before NEC’s final results to desist from said pronouncement.
“We ask all political parties to not yield to provocative statements and continue to remain calm and non-violent,” the groups said.
They informed the NEC to investigate and respond to the growing allegations of many issues that compromise the integrity of the data that is being put out in the public – real or imagined.
“After acclamation of a peaceful election, we do not want to have aspersion cast on us,” Rev. Toe stated.
