MONROVIA: As preparation are in top gear for the ensuing general elections, the Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Madam Davidetta Brown-Lassanah has urged aspirants to respect the elect laws, including the regulations and guidelines so as to ensure that process will be smooth devoid of negative situations that could undermine the historic election just as independent aspirants over the weekend signed on to the Famington Declaration to commit themselves to a free and fair election.
Chairperson Lassanah made the call on Friday, July 21, 2023 at the EJS Ministerial Complex when independent aspirants vying for the various elective positions including the presidency and the national legislature (senators and representatives) became the latest signatories of the Farmington Declaration after the various political parties in the country did theirs some few months back in the presence of the stakeholders including the country’s international development partners.
The NEC Boss told the aspirants that by signing the documents, they have consented to comply by all the terms and conditions spelt out in the agreement and right way to go about it is “for the aspirants to first and foremost be able to respect the elections laws and the regulations and guidelines set forth by NEC.
“We want to thank all of you for signing on to this document and urge you to live by what you signed on to. To get it right with what you have done, you should first and foremost respect the Commission, the elections law and the regulations and guidelines set forth by the Commission.
“These elections are important to the peace and stability of the country in which we must ensure that nothing short of what our people expect should happen. We must approach the elections with our country and its future in mind and should do so after the whole exercise”, she said.
At the colorful program which was organized under the direct auspices of NEC with collaboration with the United Nations and the Economic Community for West African States(ECOWAS), almost all the aspirants were available, made up mostly by new entrants in the contest which is said to be competitive.
Representatives from the UN and ECOWAS who spoke at the occasion called on Liberians to take the ensuing elections very seriously with the way they make decisions on who they support and the aftereffects of the decision they have made. They reminded Liberians of the past election cycles that were held under a peaceful atmosphere which got international acclaim and used as examples for other countries to emulate.
One of the aspirants who spoke at the occasion, Representative Ellen Attoh –Wreh of District #3, Margibi County said she was excited to be a signatory of the agreement and just like her colleagues, it was important to them that they abide by all the terms and conditions spelt out in the document. She said Liberia has come a long way with the democratization process which according to her “should not be derailed by our own actions and inactions going into these crucial elections and even after the results might have been declared”.
It can be recalled that on April 4, 2023, at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County, leaders from 27 political parties signed the Farmington River Declaration 2023, an enhanced and comprehensive declaration designed to ensure a nonviolent electoral process. This builds on the foundation of the initial pledge signed in 2017.
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