MONROVIA – The action by Representative Yekeh Kolubah of Electoral District #10, Montserrado County to post a campaign banner displaying the photo of former Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Standard Bearer of the Unity Party at the Capitol Building and at the same time declaring the opening of campaign on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 has been condemned by the Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC), saying “due to the critical nature of the 2023 elections, ECC discourages such acts of violations or forms of mockery of the Liberia democratic process to maintain the sanity of our electoral system”.
In a press statement issued yesterday, Tuesday, February 7, 2023, the ECC said it also continues to receive reports from its county and district monitors that aspirants from the Unity Party (UP), Alternative National Congress (ANC), and People Unification Party (PUP) are involved in the printing and posting of flyers, banners, or stickers which depict the act of pre-campaigning under the NEC regulations.
“ECC believes these instances of violation are happening due to the NEC’s failure to enforce its Regulations during previous ones. These trends in the bridge of the Campaign Regulations are worrisome as this may set the basis for violations of other regulations of the 2023 electoral legal framework.
“ECC, therefore, calls on the NEC to levy the stipulated fines and penalties outlined in the regulations for violations of any component of the electoral legal framework to preserve the integrity of the process. In addition, all parties and aspirants are encouraged to desist from every form of pre-campaign activity as a respect for the rule of law guarding these elections”, the statement concluded.
The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) is Liberia’s largest domestic election observation network with diverse competencies, experiences, and expertise in democracy, elections, and governance established since 2010. ECC’s members include the Center for Democratic Governance (CDG); Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP); Center for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding (CECPAP); Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD); Naymote Partners for Democratic Development (NAYMOTE-PADD); West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP), and the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL). The ECC works in partnership with Democracy International with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
But did the ECC not also consider the pre-campaign activities of the ruling establishment, the CDC? Why would the commission choose to be biased in her statement of condemnation of acts of violations of the rules of our elections? Hon. Kolubah did not act in oblivion, but rather in response to the ruling party’s violation of the same laws which the ECC or NEC condemned. If we are referees, we must at all times protect both teams.
But did the ECC not also consider the pre-campaign activities of the ruling establishment, the CDC? Why would the commission choose to be biased in her statement of condemnation of acts of violations of the rules of our elections? Hon. Kolubah did not act in oblivion, but rather in response to the ruling party’s violation of the same laws which the ECC or NEC condemned. If we are referees, we must at all
But did the ECC not also consider the pre-campaign activities of the ruling establishment, the CDC? Why would the commission choose to be biased in her statement of condemnation of acts of violations of the rules of our elections? Hon. Kolubah did not act in oblivion, but rather in response to the ruling party’s violation of the same laws which the ECC or NEC condemned. If we are referees, we must at all times protect both teams.
A political party or a coalition, whether incumbent or opposition, erecting billboards, donning T-shirts, and other materials publicly DURING A NOMINATION PROGRAM OF ITS STANDARD BEARER IS ABSOLUTELY NO DISPLAY OF “PRE CAMPAIGNING DISPLAY NOR PRE ELECTIONS CAMPAIGNING ERECTIONS OF billboards, campaign T-shirts, and other campaign materials publicly or even privately.
Yekeh Kolubah, having heard the US investigation on the smuggling of arms into the country, for which I personally heard this war crimnal Yekeh Kolubah saying he has written the US Embassy denyin his involvent, foolishly thinks he can cause a political pandemonium which could neutralize his soon to be arrest and disgrace after been used by overnight wanabees who believe “there is a short cut to the presidency” , if we may quote the US Ambassador Michael McCarthy.