Monrovia – The All Liberian Party (ALP) led by Benoni Urey has flagged its dissatisfaction over several errors, omissions, and misplacement of photographs in the voters roll.
Report by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr. – [email protected]
“We encourage all parties to join us in giving this guarantee to the people of Liberia. The onus now lies with the Government and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to sign.
“Only then can the citizens of Liberia know that their decision at the ballot box will make a difference.” – ALP Leader, Benoni Urey
Speaking during a press conference over the weekend, Urey said the continuous complaints from the public about the voters’ process are not just minor aberrations that can be blamed on procedural errors, noting that there are widespread and consistent omissions.
He called on the National Elections Commission (NEC) to ensure that the omissions and errors are fixed to avoid misunderstanding on Election Day.
“We feel threatened by recent irregularities in the electoral process which have thrown into doubt the commitment of the government in this singular and urgent endeavor,” he averred.
Urey further noted that it is a commitment to the people of Liberia to uphold a free, fair and transparent vote in the forthcoming election, “something I fervently hope, we can all agree will galvanize our aspiration toward delivering peace and progress to all of us in our common patrimony,” he said.
The ALP political leader said a peaceful election is not guaranteed come October nor are free and fair elections.
Mr. Urey called on the Government of Liberia and other political parties to live up to the Farmington River Declaration, signed on June 4, 2017, to ensure a violence-free electoral process and transfer of power.
“We need all the elements of the Declaration to be implemented. Although this is important in itself, it is not enough,” he noted.
The ALP has also released a document that they trust all parties will sign.
It is a statement outlining six key pledges they believe – if all parties are signatories to – shall result in an election outcome that reflects the true will of the people.
The ALP believes the document can remedy many of these worries; but only if all participating parties sign it.
Urey said during the press conference: “We encourage all parties to join us in giving this guarantee to the people of Liberia.
The onus now lies with the Government and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to sign. Only then can the citizens of Liberia know that their decision at the ballot box will make a difference.
The non-violence declaration signed by the parties – including the one I lead – earlier this month at the ECOWAS Summit must be firstly fully implemented, but is not enough.
Peaceful elections do not necessarily ensure a free and fair one. Whilst we welcome the sentiment, we believe our electorate needs a stronger assurance from their politicians. The modest pledges contained in the statement released today are ones that any party that calls themselves democratic should endorse.”
The statement asserts:
In just over three months, Liberians will cast their votes for their next President. We, the parties of Liberia and civil society groups, sign this statement pledging to uphold a free, fair and transparent election.
The citizens of Liberia deserve this assurance. They must know that they can vote for their candidate of choice free from fear; that the votes counted shall correlate to the true will of the people; and that each citizen’s vote – regardless of their region, ethnicity or political affiliation – will have equal value to any other.
It is imperative that Liberians can freely exercise their right, as guaranteed by the Liberian Constitution, to vote this October. But they must know their vote will matter.
Whilst we all acknowledge the importance of the Farmington River Declaration for a Peaceful 2017 Election, countless examples around the world demonstrate a peaceful election is no guarantee of a fair one.
Therefore we – the parties of Liberia and civil society groups – officially:
- Call on all signatories to the Farmington River Declaration, endorsed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to collectively commit themselves to the implementation of the document.
- Want to recall that following the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance: “No substantial modification shall be made to the electoral laws in the last six months before the elections, except with the consent of a majority of Political actors”.
We – the parties of Liberia and civil society groups – officially pledge to:
Strictly abide by the Liberian Constitution and the electoral law.
Facilitate the secondment of officials from UNMIL, ECOWAS, the European Union and the AU to the National Elections Commission in the 60 days running-up the election so that they can provide a thorough and independent analysis of the electoral process.
Further call on ECOWAS, UNMIL, the AU and the European Union was made to provide the NEC with appropriate technical assistance.
In total transparency with each political party, bring the appropriate corrections to the registration process are made and specifically ensuring that:
Every eligible Liberian who has registered to vote is listed on the official voter registrar.
The names of all those who have gone through the registration process appear on the electoral roll.
Photographic identification of every registered voter is displayed on the electoral roll. These listings must be accurate and open to public examination prior to polling, and must be provided to all political parties.
Anyone ineligible to vote does not appear on the electoral registrar.
Only those on the electoral roll can vote.
Ensure the National Elections Commission acts independently and has the means to do so.
Respect the true will of the Liberian electorate
We, the parties of Liberia and civil society groups, declare to uphold each and all of these commitments; for each is integral to the others. Compromise one, and all are compromised.
Peace and democracy are always at reach through genuine political will.
The citizens of Liberia are entitled to a nation with dignity; one that can stand proud in the world; one that resonates with peace, democracy and development. We owe it to the Liberian youth, the future generations but also to the victims of our past conflicts.
It is our duty to ensure each eligible Liberian can vote freely and ballot counting will be transparent. The only thing that shall remain unconditionally opaque is voters’ identities at the count.
This is the assurance that our parties and our civil society groups give to you, the citizens of Liberia.
