OCTOBER 10 POLLS IS FLOODED with over 900 candidates, 22 of which are vying for the presidency.
NOW THAT THE ISSUE OF THE CONTROVERSIAL Code of Conduct has been laid to rest, the National Elections Commission (NEC) now seem to be on a smooth path to conducting the elections.
BUT THERE IS A BARRAGE OF COMPLAINTS before it that it must first address to ensure sanctity of the elections.
COMPLAINTS FROM LIBERTY PARTY against Lenn Eugene Nagbe and the Unity Party, complaint from Sando Johnson against Rep. Edwin Snowe, complaint of political parties not fielding the right number of candidates to participate in the elections are among series of complaints before the NEC for adjudication.
BUT WHILE WE AWAIT RULING on these complaints from the NEC, it looks certain that the media would have a Herculean task covering all the 22 presidential candidates in the run-up to the October 10 elections.
JUST AS JOURNALISTS WOULD have to put in hard work to report on the activities of the aspirants, the latter would also have to burn a lot of energy traversing the country and canvassing for the votes of the electorate.
THE STAGE IS SET FOR INTENSIVE campaigns all across the country, but we ask all the contestants to stick to issues-based campaigns and desist from insults and personality attacks, as that will not win them the presidency.
WE NEED TO ENGAGE IN HEALTHY debates that will enrich our discourse on the social and academic issues that affect us all.
AT THE END OF THE CAMPAIGN PERIOD, we should become richer in wisdom on how to confront the issues that easily beset us, and it does not matter who brings up ideas that will be considered by the majority of people as the most laudable.
AS WE HAVE SAID FOR THE UMPTEENTH time, Liberia is the only country we have and as we inch closer to the elections, we should always have that at the back of our minds.
GOVERNANCE IS KEY TO OUR DEVELOPMENT as a nation and whatever we do we must guard jealously the peace that we currently enjoy and ensure that we get it right with the caliber of people we elect as our leaders.
YES, IT WILL BE A KEEN CONTEST and we cannot wait to hear the various messages of the presidential hopefuls and how they hope to improve on the fortunes of the country.
BUT WE WILL ALSO BE WATCHING to see how they conduct themselves as would-be presidential candidates on the campaign trail, especially when they are challenged on key and sensitive national issues.
ALL OF US — THE NEC, presidential and parliamentary aspirants and the electorate — owe it to ourselves and the country to ensure clean, fair and peaceful elections.
WE MUST SUPPORT AND CHEER on our parties and aspirants to win, but we must exercise restraint and refuse to be provoked.
WE MUST ALSO BE DECOROUS in all our engagements and make sure we play by the rules so that we do not fall foul of the law.
