Monrovia – Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon and the National Elections Commission (NEC) have pledged to promote a peaceful electoral process leading to the December 8, 2020, Special senatorial elections.
Senator Dillon, a top senatorial candidate vying on the ticket of the opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) and the NEC, through its Director of Civic and Voter Education, Paul Wreh Wilson made the vow at the launch of the Youth Elections Dialogues (YED) in Monrovia on Thursday.
The campaign is being organized by 32 youth-based non-governmental organizations led by ‘Youth for Change’ and is intended to engage major stakeholders of the electoral process including senatorial candidates, the NEC officials, the Police Inspector General, civil society and government’s development partners to dialogue and commit to ensuring a peaceful process before, on and after the December 8 polls.
To mark the launch of the YED, which is expected to be held nationwide, the organizers invited the two top senatorial candidates including Senator Abraham Darius Dillon and Rep. Thomas Fallah (District #5, Montserrado County), along with the Inspector General of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Patrick Sudue and officials of NEC to form part of the dialogue.
However, only Senator Dillon and the NEC, through its Director of Civic and Voter Education, Paul Wreh Wilson graced Day- One of the two-day event, and in separate remarks vowed to promote a peaceful democratic process.
Senator Dillon’s Pledge
In his pledge, Senator Dillon called on all sides of the political divide to refrain from violence and once again retracted his incendiary comments made against President George Weah.
Said Senator Dillon: “To the peace and development of our country, I like to use this platform to make a commitment that we will not be part, and we will not encourage any act of violence. We are calling on all of us, ruling, opposition, no position and in-position – let all of us remain peaceful, civil, matured and tolerant to keep the peace. And I commit that those statements that sounded threatening that we issued in the past and have retracted, we will not utter them again. We also call upon you (youths), all of us together to do all we can and to prevent and avoid and discourage acts of violence. Let’s go to the process based on our ideas and intellects and not by the muscles and stones.”
Responding to the audience on whether he has confidence in the NEC to conduct a free and fair election, Mr. Dillon said he has no trust in the elections body but will follow the process, and any attempt to cheat will be challenged legally.
He called on the NEC to go beyond the condemnation of voter trucking that have marred the voter roll update and disqualified those behind the act.
NEC Commitment
For his part, the NEC Director of Civic and Voter Education, Paul Wreh Wilson said the commission was committed to conducting a peaceful process and called on the young people to disengage from any act of violence that will undermine the peace of the country.
He said: “On behalf of the Commission, I want to say Let us stay away from trucking, let us stay away from violence, peace should be precious to us because it is our future. The older people are fading away, it is time for the young people to take the mantle of authority. So make sure that peace is always guaranteed. Own the process, protect the process and use it for your future.”
Mr. Wilson, speaking further, said trucking of voters from one place to another was in violation of the new elections law but the commission is not clothed with the authority to go about arresting those involved.
“The Commission is not a court. It doesn’t go on arresting people. It only listens to complaints. The elections Commission Chairperson is concerned and we are disappointed on what is obtaining now in the country when it comes to electoral violence,” he said.
Speaking on several issues confronting the NEC, he said stressed budget is impeding the commission to effectively conduct civic and voter education.
Meanwhile, the dialogues continue today, Friday and is expected to feature officials of the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), USAID, UNDP, Carter Center and the Swedish Embassy.