The Editor,
The decision made by the Supreme Court to stay the November 7th runoff elections is not only lame but injurious to a fledgling democracy as ours.
It is also disheartening to see Liberia being dragged in an un-called for political quagmire and uncertainty simply because of bruised egos.
There are no flawless elections. There will always be irregularities in elections.
The questions is , did the irregularities amount to fraud that skewed the results in favor of one party or another?
In Liberia’s case the answer is an emphatic no.
As a matter of fact, the proponents of the Writ of Prohibition have demonstrably shown how the irregularities robbed them of the election in the first round.
Let’s bear in mind that the irregularities that are being queried also affected CDC. Yet CDC won 11 of the 15 counties.
If the qualms about elections irregularities by LP, ALP & ANC weren’t just an offspring of the embarrassment they experienced given their dismal performance in the first round, one could understand from whence they come.
If after 12 years of campaigning across the political landscape of Liberia, these parties could not even muster 20% of the votes, howbeit that they now claim election irregularities robbed them of victory?
Puzzling! Liberty Party got about 9.3 % of the votes, ANC got 7.7% and ALP got 1.9.
Even if the elections were perfect and flawless, those numbers would not win in a “dog -catcher’s election.
The action by these parties highlights the pettiness of Liberian politics, and is the kind of selfish endeavors that makes politics unenthusiastic especially for young people. Sad!
Twice Senator Weah and the CDC lost election amidst widespread rumor of cheating against CDC; and twice for love of country, CDC obliged the results.
That’s the valor and character of a patriot that a leader is to exhibit.
Not the qualities and attributes of sore-losers that ANC, LP, ALP and even UP are exhibiting.
These folks who claimed to have Liberia at heart are now bent on destroying the hallmark of democracy- constitutional continuity.
It perplexes me that these folks, so greedy for power are now suggesting an interim government for Liberia, just because they lost the election. Really?
Let me conclude by saying that genuine peace and reconciliation would remain a fleeting illusion in our beloved Liberia if we continue to ignore the masses’ voice.
It seems that on October 10 the people of Liberia spoke resoundingly when 11 of the 15 counties voted for CDC.
Having the Supreme Court of Liberia ignore the will of the majority to satisfy the bruised egos of a few is a faux pas in our quest democratic rule in Liberia.
Let’s remember that peace is not symbol, it’s an attitude. We all must act to preserve peace in Liberia.
Joel Williamson,
[email protected]
