MONROVIA – With less than a year to the conduct of the much anticipated 2023 general and presidential elections in Liberia, the National Elections Commission (NEC) will on Friday, January 6, 2023 accredit the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL) as a full-fledged political party in the country.
By Obediah Johnson
In a letter dated January 4, 2023 and addressed to the party Organizing Chairman Emmanuel Gonquoi under the signature of the National Chairperson of the NEC Counselor Davidetta Brown Lasannah, the commission disclosed that EFFL has met all of the requirements set aside for the formation of political parties in the country.
“I am pleased to present compliments on behalf of the National Elections Commission (NEC) and wish to inform you that the proposed Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL) has met the requirements of Article 79 of the Constitution of Liberia and Chapter II Subchapter A and B as well as Chapter III, Sub Section B of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties and Independent Candidates to be registered as a political party of Liberia,” the communication a copy which is in the possession of FrontPage Africa stated.
It continued: “In view thereof, the Commission will issue a certificate of accreditation to the proposed Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL) on Friday, January 6, 2023 in the James Fromayan conference hall at 2:00PM. The NEC invites the Executive Committee and members of the proposed EFFL to the ceremony.”
The accreditation of EFFL will bring to 24 the number of political parties in Liberia.
Political parties in Liberia include: » All Liberia Coalition Party (ALCOP), All Liberian Party (ALP), Alternative National Congress (ANC), Change Democratic Actopm (CDA), Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC/NPP/LPDP), Coalition for Liberia’s Progress (CLP), Vision for Liberia Transformation (VOLT) and » Grassroot Democratic Party of Liberia (GDPL).
Others are: Liberia Transformation Party (LTP), Liberian National Union (LINU), Liberty Party(LP), Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), » Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), » Movement for One Liberia (MOL) and Movement for Progressive Change (MPC).
The rest are: National Democratic Coalition (NDC), New Liberia Party (NLP), People’s Unification Party (PUP), True Whig Party (TWP), Union of Liberian Democrats (ULD), United People’s Party (UPP), Unity Party (UP), Victory for Change (VCP)
The EFFL was established as an ideological pressure movement advocating for the economic emancipation of Liberia and its citizens shortly after the inauguration of President George Manneh Weah.
It gained prominence when it joined ranks with others to stage the “Bring Back Our Money” Protest in September 2018. The protest was intended to draw attention and seek punitive actions towards the mysterious disappearance of L$16billion from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL).
The group also participated in the June 7, 2019 “Save The State” protest, demanding the government to tackle corruption, economic mismanagement, injustice and nepotism, among others.
In August 2021, the leader of the EFFL and two others were arrested and incarcerated by the Monrovia City Court for reportedly shutting the entrance of the Capitol Building in Monrovia, preventing Representatives and Senators from attending session.
The Capitol Building is the official seat of the National Legislature.
They were charged and found guilty of multiple crimes including terroristic threats, simple assault, felonious restrain and disorderly conduct.
The court document further accused the EFF Members of inflicting injuries on the security guards assigned at the Capitol building during their violent protest.
In his ruling, Judge Jomah Jallah disclosed that the court’s decision was consistence with Sections 11.16, 14.21 and 17.3 of the criminal procedure law of Liberia.
The government, in its complaint to the court, claimed that during the protest, the group rained insults publicly and intentionally broke the lock before installing their own chains with locks with the intent to terrorize the public, staff, and employees of the legislature which led the government to file in a complaint against the group to the Stipendiary Magistrate of the Monrovia City Court.
The court claimed that their action was unlawful, wicked, illegal, violent, and intentional.
The writ also said, the EFFL member’s action violates sections 11.16 of the amended act, section 14.21 and 17.3 of the new penal law of Liberia there and then the crime herein.
EFFL staged the protest at the time to demand lawmakers to return the US$30,000 they received from the government for Legislative Engagement, while thousands of their employers (the citizens) were going to bed on empty stomach.
The incident led to a scuffle between securities assigned at the capitol and the protesters.
Gonquoi and the others were released from prison following numerous appeals and interventions.
Confusing the electorates
With less than five million people, the proliferation of political parties in Liberia continues to confuse the electorates.
Citizens continue to ponder over why leaders of these political parties cannot form a coalition or alliance despite sharing or having similar political ideologies, platforms or plans for Liberia and its citizens.
They continuously attribute the influx of political parties in the country to greed for power.
The citizens believed that many of these politicians forming new political parties are doing so to satisfy their personal aggrandizement, instead of amalgamating forces with other ideal parties to guarantee a genuine change in the governance process of the nation.
During electioneering periods, many of these parties cannot even obtain more than 1% of the total number of valid votes cast during presidential, legislative or by-elections.
In some instances, they do not even field candidates to contest on their tickets due to the lack of real interest of those vying to accept an offer from them.
Candidates vying for representatives and senatorial seats normally reject these political parties on grounds that they are not “well-known” to the electorates.
On the other hand, candidates who were flogged or boycotted primaries of their respective parties see these newly established political parties as an alternative to contest on their tickets, instead of spending exorbitantly to contest as an independent candidate.
As the 2023 general and presidential elections draw nearer, Liberians will continue to witness the accreditation of new political parties in the country even though the ones that they are familiar with have not done enough to give them hope that their living conditions would be improved when they ascend to or capture state power.