By Stephen G. Fellajuah
MONROVIA – Amidst numerous complaints from political parties and other stakeholders about the flagrant violations of the electoral laws covering pre-election campaign, the National Elections Commission (NEC) yesterday, Wednesday, April 26, 2023 took a tougher stand to speak out on the issue, vowing to fully implement the February 28, 2023 Revised and published Guidelines on Campaign and spelled out the fines to be meted out against violators in keeping with laws of the land.
In a statement read by the Chairperson of NEC, Madam Davidetta Brown Lassanah said NEC through its Political Affairs Section, distributed hard copies of Guidelines to all registered political parties in March, 2023 and that the commission again distributed hard copies to the poltical parties at an informational workshop held with executives of the parties on April 18-19, 2023 in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County.
Madam Brown- Lassanah said the commission will go ahead to implement the laws governing fines against pre-election campaign which should not be less than USD1,000.00 nor more than UD5,000.00 or its equivalent in Liberia dollars, payable into government revenue.
“The guidelines, amongst others, define campaigning as any verbal expression or symbolic speech of an aspirant, candidate, political party, coalition or alliance done for the purpose of electing or promoting an aspirant or candidate for elective public office.
“Again, the revised guidelines cover both verbal expression and symbolic
“The Commission wishes to remind all registered political parties, coalitions, alliances and would-be aspirants that the campaign period for the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections, as published by the Commission, is 5 August to 8 October 2023.
“Pursuant to Section 2.9(h) of the 1986 Election Law, which states, in essential part, the Commission shall “Formulate and enforce guidelines controlling the conduct of all elections for effective public offices”, the commission as of 5th May 2023, will begin the documentation of violations and consistent with due process apply the appropriate actions against non-compliance as a keeping with the revised campaign guidelines.
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