Paynesville – The President of the Christian Association of the Blind (CAB), Mr. Beyan Kota, is calling on aggrieved parties in the ongoing hearing-taking place at the National Elections Commission (NEC) to exercise restraint and ensure a speedy adjudication of the process.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected]
Addressing the media at CAB headquarters in Paynesville Wednesday, November 15, Mr. Kota warned that the process, if not speedily adjudicated would lead the country into a constitutional crisis, which may send it backward.
“We are calling on the parties involved, the Liberty Party and its collaborators to exercise restraint and ensure a speedy adjudication of the process.
Also this goes to authorities of NEC to ensure a speedy hearing and adjudication of the case so that we can go into a runoff and determine our next President,” he stated.
Mr. Kota noted that although the Liberty Party (LP) and its collaborators are on the right track by adhering to the rule of law, the allegations of fraud and irregularities are not sufficient enough, for nullifying the October 10, 2017 polls.
He lamented that the electoral impasse is posing serious economic problems to the majority of Liberians including the blind and the disabled community at large.
“We want the country to avoid a constitutional crisis, which might bring us to an interim arrangement; something we citizens are not prepared for and no longer want.
The current situation has become unbearable, especially the economic situation. People are now uncertain about the political situation. Many people are holding back.”
“The economy is also uncertain. Prices of goods and services have skyrocketed. We want to really let people know that many blind people are underprivileged, disadvantaged and are suffering the pinch of the economic situation.”
There have been split opinions since the Supreme Court granted the opposition Liberty Party’s appeal to place a stay order on the electoral process until NEC investigates the LP’s allegations of electoral fraud and irregularities.
The ruling Unity Party of Vice President Joseph Boakai, the All Liberian Party (ALP) of Benoni Urey and the Alternative National Congress (ANC) of Alexander Cummings have all backed the LP in its legal battle with the NEC.
While some Liberians including supporters of these parties welcomed the idea, many fear that the decision may lead to long legal proceedings that may deprive the country from its much anticipated historic transition from one elected President to another in January, 2018; something that the nation has not experienced for more than 70 years.
CAB’s President echoed these sentiments when he spoke to a group of journalist at his office.
Beyan Kota warned that the country is gradually being held hostage owing to the current legal process and called on parties to keep to the time frame in the adjudication process in order to ensure that the nation meets up with the constitutional time frame.
Mr. Kota warned that Liberia would be embroiled in a constitutional stalemate that will result to it becoming a protective state; something he said can be averted if the runoff is allowed to happen in time.
“These legal wrangling and bickering should not continue to the extent that the constitution will have no other grounds to maintain. As a result we may be talking about a protective state because that may lead to the involvement of the International Community. The international Community has invested so much in our peace process.
“For the stability of this country, the United Nations committed several thousand foreign forces, some of whom are still in the country and have been here for over ten years. We should now be seen as a responsible government and as a respectable member of the community of nations. We cannot reverse because to do so will then undermine the stability of this country and maybe the United Nations will just declare this country as a protective state because of our inability to govern ourselves,” Mr. Kota warned.