‘Trigger of violence’, Ex-Foreign Minister terms Lofa by-election

By Lincoln G. Peters 

Liberia’s former Foreign Affairs Minister, Madam Olubanke King – Akerele says the entire situation surrounding the Lofa County senatorial by-election is a trigger of violence, warning that Liberia is sitting on a time bomb that is likely to explode anytime.

The ex-Foreign Minister called on all Liberians to be concerned about their nation, urging all hands to work and prevent the time bomb from exploding.

“What is happening in Lofa is what we call [a] trigger of violence. We are sitting on a time bomb as a nation, hope you understand me,” Madam King – Akerele said at the weekend during the end of the Angie Brooks International Center’s dialogue for local authorities.

The planned senatorial by-election in Lofa County has been rocked by political tension, as the National Elections Commission (NEC) decided to exclude former ruling Unity Party (UP) and All Liberian Party (ALP) from the conduct of the election based on a request by Liberty Party embattled chairman Musa Bility.

The Unity Party has since challenged the commission’s decision at the Supreme Court and the case is awaiting the court’s determination.

Over the weekend, the NEC announced an indefinite suspension of the conduct of the Lofa by-election which was due to be held on Tuesday, 10 May 2022, citing the ongoing case at the Supreme Court.

Mr. Bility had asked the NEC to prevent UP and ALP from fielding candidates in the Lofa by-election because of their withdrawals from the disintegrated Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).

The attempted exclusion of UP and ALP from the planned conduct of the by-election has been greeted with threats by Unity Party political leader Joseph Nyumah Boakai and his party officials that the election will not go ahead without their candidate’s participation.

However, Madam King – Akerele called on Liberians to be very, very careful about the process of what may or may not be happening in terms of the decision from Lofa.

She warned that Librarians must not take it lightly because what is going on is a trigger of violence and the citizenry have to be careful and mindful for the nation’s sake.

She noted that everyone has a role to play and to be concerned about the nation.

“We hope and pray that Chief Justice of Liberia Francis Korkpor and the entire Supreme Court will make the right decision because we cannot go backward and we are headed backward,” said Madam King – Akerele.

“I am making this statement and if anybody wants to do anything to me, you can do it. If I’m the next person to be killed, you will kill me. But, I’m saying my concern is the peace of this nation,” she continued.

She encouraged Liberians to join her and the Women’s Situation Room to prevent this instead of waiting for 2023 presidential and legislative elections.

“I am a patriot and [have] nothing to do with politics, hope you understand me. All of you must see the interest of this nation at heart. You hear the important role the Women Situation Room plays in bringing peace and stability to Sierra Leone and so let’s do the same here. This is what I have to say,” she concluded.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/boakai-repeats-threat-ahead-of-by-election/