Monrovia—The Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL) has condemned the Wednesday morning fire outbreak at the Capitol Building, which has resulted in significant destruction of the joined Chambers of the National Legislature. 

By: Yawah Y. Jaivey

In a statement released on Wednesday in Monrovia, the EFFL highlighted that this tragic event represents a serious setback for the economy and serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for enhanced security and accountability in public institutions.

“We wish to make it abundantly clear to the 73 lawmakers in the Lower House and the 30 senators in the Upper House that the Legislative Building is not a playground, but a venue for serious deliberation aimed at driving the development of Liberia and fostering growth for younger generations. It is sad and unfortunate that some individuals continue to use the legislature to serve their own interests, rather than those of the people,” the EFFL statement read.

The party asserted that it will not tolerate any further setbacks of this magnitude, describing the destruction of critical infrastructure as both intolerable and unacceptable.

The EFFL also expressed gratitude to the Liberia National Fire Service, the LPRC Fire Service, the LWSC, and the brave first responders for their tireless efforts to contain the situation and provide assistance during this challenging time. The organization recognized that their dedication reflects the resilience and courage of those committed to serving Liberia in times of crisis.

Additionally, the EFFL called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the cause of the fire, demanding that those responsible be identified, held accountable, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The organization urged all stakeholders to prioritize measures that ensure the safety and security of public institutions to prevent future incidents.

“As a nation, we must stand united against acts of violence and aggression that threaten our peace, development, and collective progress. Together, let us work towards building a future free from fear, violence, and destruction. The EFFL is dedicated to fostering a responsible country where discipline is the foundation of our engagement,” the statement concluded.

MONROVIA – The Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL) is calling on political actors in the country to desist from pushing sectional, ethnic, and religious politics in their quest for appointments to the presidency. 

By Willie N. Tokpah

According to the EFFL, this kind of lobbying not only breeds internal strife but also casts doubt on the moral basis of Liberia’s Constitution, which guarantees everyone equal opportunity regardless of tribal and religious linkage but also promotes internal conflict. 

“Any reasonable and sound leader would be against democracy and unity if they supported a philosophy based on division,” the EFFL said in a statement issued Monday, January 5.

“Anyone who seeks extreme popularity at the expense of a unified community through politics by using religious, tribal, or sectional playbooks is evil. Our civil conflicts have a long history of such cunning political scheming, and we must take collective action to combat this philosophy of conflict promotion.”

The EFFL said it strongly denounces what it termed, “bad political behavior” of those involved in the increasing number of calls on social media and radio that have been made in recent weeks by political actors urging President Joseph N. Boakai Sr. to appoint people to government cabinet positions based on the aforementioned values.

During his sermon on Sunday, Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson, who strongly supported the Presidential bid of Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai, says that he expects President Joseph Nyumah Boakai to know better than to marginalize partisans of his party, the Movement of Democratic and Reconstruction.

According to him, President Boakai’s administration is cloudy and characterized by so many disappointments,  urging Nimbains to manage their expectation.

However, the EFFL stressed that in the interest of promoting jobs for Liberians, politicians need to step back from attacking the presidency. 

Thhe EFFL thinks, since the government cannot afford to hire everyone, any demands for jobs should be comprehensive, further emphasizing the growth of the private sector.

“Liberians as a whole will not point the finger at this tribe, religion, or section when the President of Liberia fails; rather, we will collectively criticize his administration and declare that the President has failed the Liberian people,” EFFL added.

For this reason, the EFFL believes, President Boakai should be permitted to choose members of the Executive Branch decisively. 

According to the EFFL, pushing tribal, religious, or sectional politics is a risky strategy in a democratic sphere, which is typically anchored by those who wish to have power.

The EFFL warned those involved to disengage from undermining the presidency in the name of advocating for jobs for their people. 

The EFFL believes that any calls for jobs should be holistic, with an emphasis on private sector growth, because the government cannot afford to employ everyone. 

According to the revolutionary political party, President Boakai should be allowed to select his officials in the Executive because when he fails, there will be a collective criticism of his administration.

EFFL maintained that it is completely unpatriotic to buy popularity by sowing seeds of discontent at the expense of the group, which ought to end.

Currently, rather than 

The EFFL has declared its readiness to oppose any discussion or program that serves as a means of dividing Liberians for self-serving political ends. 

“We all face a greater challenge, poverty, corruption, injustice, and a lack of safety for our women and children. As such, we must work to promote a message of peace and reconciliation for the benefit of all Liberians,” EFFL added.

The EFFL further wants to commend the Boakai administration for adopting the “South-Eastern theory” and urge them to allow more foreign relations with Liberia.

The party said it is high time to establish transparent diplomatic ties with South Korea, Russia, and other nations. 

This action, the EFFL assumes, will further the country’s shared economic objectives through various bilateral channels.

Fighters and commandants of the unbroken and uncompromising Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL), CIC Julius S. Malama, Deputy President Floyd Shivambu, International Affairs Gardee Goodrich and the entire leadership of EFF South Africa, members of the international community, religious leaders, the student community, the Islamic community, members of the press and fellow citizens.

We are here today to address a grave national electoral crisis on the continuing delay of the NEC to publish the FRR at all polling precincts throughout the country and to issue full copies of the FRR to all political parties, independent candidates and relevant stakeholders for the October 10, 2023 presidential and legislative elections as required by the election laws of Liberia. The continuing delay and intransigence of the NEC have the propensity to intensify and plunge the country into deeper and wide spread national crisis.

The NEC was established to independently and impartially administer the election laws of Liberia. Over the last two years alone, the NEC has received over US$50 million in support of carrying out these administrative functions. But when the NEC fails to follow the election laws, it unfairly transfers tremendous and unnecessary burdens on us all as election stakeholders, eligible voters and all Liberians.

Fellow citizens, Senator Dillon, as senator of the largest and most populous county in the country, Montserrado County, acted within the law to invite the NEC to the Liberian Senate and to inquire from the commission under oath about the status and concerns on administering the 2023 elections. His further invitation to the general public to go with him to the NEC on Friday, September 22, 2023 due to the failure of the commission to live up to its promise under oath to publish the FRR and to issue the FRR to political parties and independent candidates by the 18^th of September, 2023 is also within the law and cannot and should not be interpreted as an act of provocation or threat.

 On April 17, 2023 the commission under the chair of Davidetta Browne-Lansannah held a press conference in the presence of the press of Liberia (including the Analyst Newspaper and New Dawn Newspaper), and the International Community in which the commission announced and published the results of the Phase-I BVR Preliminary results as outlined below in item number 6 of the press conference release:

“6. Preliminary results from Phase One shows a total of 1,435,209 (One Million Four Hundred Thirty-Five Thousand Two Hundred and Nine) registrants…..This figure is subject to change due to the ongoing deduplication and adjudication process……”

Similarly, on May 25, 2023, Davidetta Browne-Lansannah chaired a press conference in the presence of the press of Liberia (including the Hot Pepper Newspaper), and the International Community in which the commission announced and published the results of the Phase-II BVR Preliminary results as outlined below in item number 1 of the press conference release:

“1. The National Elections Commission informs you that having ended on 11 May 2023 the Biometric Voter Registration in Phase Two of the nine counties, the following are preliminary results:

NOTE: As was indicated during the release of the Preliminary Results for Phase One, these figures are also subject to change following the completion of the deduplication and adjudication process……”

Again, on August 2, 2023, as reported in the Frontpage Africa Newspaper, the NEC held a briefing in collaboration with ECOWAS and the UN in which Davidetta Browne-Lansannah stated, “While the commission has transitioned to biometric voter registration, the voting in the October 10, 2023 general and presidential elections will be done manually as it has been in the past……”

“The NEC chair informed political leaders that the 27,000 duplicate records discovered during the Biometric Voter Registration process were created by 3,634 individuals who double registered…”

Below is the compilation of the preliminary results from Phase I and Phase II for all 15 counties against the final results (as reported on NEC website) after deduplications and adjudications.

It is unclear how the NEC removed the 27,000 duplicate votes from the preliminary results of Phase I and Phase II to arrive at the final registered voters. Moreover, 3,634 individuals cannot produce 27,000 duplicate votes (double registering) as is claimed by the chair of the commission, Davidetta Browne-Lansannah, unless each of the 3,634 individuals on average registered more than 7 times (7 X 3,634 = 25,438).

Additionally, Grand Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado show increases from the preliminary Phase I results to the final results which should not happen given that duplicate votes were removed from the preliminary to yield the final results. Therefore, the final results for these 3 counties should be less than their preliminary numbers as are the cases with the other counties.

The commission also increased the number of polling places from 5,390 (the number of polling places in 2017) to 5,890 polling places an increase of 500 polling places although the number of polling precincts has remained unchanged from 2017. This is a significant and material change and the commission should inform the stakeholders on the reason for this increase in the number of polling places.

NEC 2023 and 2017 Polling Places Comparison

For us in Margibi where I am on the ballot for the Senate, The NEC added an additional 59 polling places compare to 2017. We now have to allocate 882 poll watchers for each of the 441 polling places in order to protect the votes of our people.

Let me assure the voters of Margibi that our poll watchers will be vigilante in observing all aspects of the election monitoring and counting processes for both the presidential as well as the legislative elections. Our poll watchers will reconcile the 550 ballots issued for the Presidential elections and the 550 ballots issued for the legislative elections to each of the 441 polling places across Margibi.

For those candidates running in the presidential elections, the tasks of recruiting 11,780 poll watchers for each of the 5,890 polling places is very challenging. This is why it is imperative that the NEC publishes the FRR and issues same to the political parties and independent candidates without further delay.

In 2017 the NEC informed the stakeholders that it had registered 2,183,683 voters. But the NEC announced that only 1,641,922 votes were cast in the first round of the elections and an even lower votes total, 1,218,124, were recorded in the second round. Yet, the NEC, from the 2023 BVR exercises, has announced unusually high voter registrants against historical norms.

We, therefore, call on all revolutionaries, national and community leaders and all well-meaning Liberians around the country to volunteer as poll watchers in the community and polling places they vote. Organize watch nights on October 10, 2023 and be vigilante as we strive to protect the votes of every Liberian.

Lastly, let me admonish our partners within the international community including the United States Embassy in Monrovia, European Union Commission, ECOWAS and the African Union.

Our people have suffered enough. Many have trekked across the Sahel into North Africa only to drown in the Mediterranean Sea as they try to seek a better life in Europe and elsewhere because their leaders at home have failed them. We all have seen the gruesome pictures flash across our televisions and newspapers.

While we, in Liberia, have embraced democracy as do many countries on the continent, it is necessarily important that the will of the people be protected and respected during elections as manifested by their votes. Electoral bodies like the NEC must be an impartial referee and obey all rules, laws and regulations at all times.

Liberia’s hard-won peace must be protected. We cannot allow Liberia to slide into unrest or war. NEC bears the greatest responsibility in ensuring that there is a free, fair, transparent and credible presidential and legislative elections. The intransigence of Davidetta Browne Lansannah in publishing and releasing the FRR and ensuring free, fair, transparent and credible elections will lead to a major crisis as we the people will not tolerate any disenfranchisement.

Thank you.

MONROVIA – The group of political youngsters mimicking the Economic Freedom Fighters believe Liberia should be a communist state and have therefore disclosed plans to hoist the flags of Russia, China, and Cuba at their headquarters.

By Lennart Dodoo, ldodoo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Under the banner – Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL) – these youngsters led by Emmanuel Gonquoi – argue that there is no law that forbids them from choosing their foreign allies.

“There is no political law and there is no constitutional requirement that determines who our friends are. We are under our party’s mandate to determine who our friends are. We have decided that our friend is Putin or Russia – he’s our friend – we don’t care about Joe Biden, we don’t care about who Sunak is, we don’t care who Macron is…,” Gonquoi said.

He added, “We strongly believe that a nation under communist rule is the best way forward because we don’t need a government that would always side with the West that continues to exploit our resources without giving back to our country. We believe strongly that our allies would be defined by our foreign policy.  We are saying to you that in the coming days, the national youth command of the EFFL will be welcoming and hoisting the flags of Russia, the flag of China, the flag of Cuba, and all progressive forces at our headquarters.”

Gonquoi who is a strong supporter of the Unity Party Joseph Boakai’s presidential bid is making these assertions as Liberia has less than two months to elections that has already seen some campaign violence between the Unity Party and the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change.

His call for communism and establishing strong ties with Vladamir Putin comes at a time when the West Africa region has seen an increased military overthrow of democratically elected governments including in Burkina Faso and Niger with suspicion of Russia’s involvement.

It’s well known that Russia runs sophisticated digital disinformation campaigns in Africa, including in Niger, a key Western ally and home to large US and French bases — and since the coup, junta leaders have revoked military cooperation agreements with France, the country’s former colonial master.

Russian flags on the streets of the capital Niamey have become one of the symbols of the military coup in Niger. Media footage has also caught sight of slogans on posters saying “Down with France, long live Putin”.

Since 2020, the Sahel region has witnessed a series of five military coups, accompanied by an additional unsuccessful attempt. Notably, during 2019-2020, the presence of mercenaries affiliated with the Russian private military company “Wagner” was observed in Mali.

In 2020, in the aftermath of Burkina Faso’s second coup of the year, a significant development occurred. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the enigmatic figure at the helm of the Wagner Group, a clandestine Russian mercenary organization, swiftly extended his congratulations to the emerging junta leader. Through a communication shared on Telegram, Prigozhin lauded the actions of the mutinous soldiers, deeming their actions as imperative.

Coincidentally, on that very day, Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin political analyst, took to public forums to assert that the Russian populace had played a role in supporting Capt. Ibrahim Traore, the newly anointed leader of the coup. Furthermore, Markov envisaged that Burkina Faso’s novel military leadership would opt to establish ties with Russia for assistance, diverging from the conventional choice of seeking aid from their former colonizer, France.

Condemning ECOWAS

In a strongly worded statement, the EFFL expressed concerns about the potential catastrophic consequences of military intervention in Niger, highlighting the regional ramifications of such a move. The organization criticized ECOWAS for what it perceives as a decline in its leadership role and effectiveness over the years.

The EFFL raised questions about ECOWAS’s response to issues such as rampant corruption, electoral malpractice, and the dire plight of citizens seeking better opportunities abroad. The organization pointed to instances of governments stealing election results and extending their terms in power without meaningful intervention from ECOWAS. Moreover, the EFFL highlighted the lack of progress towards the implementation of a single currency regime intended to foster economic growth and free trade within the region.

The EFFL urged ECOWAS to revisit its core principles and avoid becoming a puppet of colonial powers. It called on the regional organization to exercise self-examination and take steps to strengthen its role as a force for positive change. The organization urged citizens across the region to unite against excessive Western influence that might undermine the progress of African democracies.

Beating Drums of Violence in Liberia

Meanwhile, the EFFL has vowed to be intentionally civil disobedient while at the same time accusing the country’s security apparatus of being politically controlled by the regime.

Gonquoi referenced the recent clash between supporters of the ruling CDC and the Unity Party which he supports. According to him, supporters of the ruling party blocked the Unity Party’s standard bearer in a traffic jam when he was on his way to his campaign headquarters to address a major press conference.

“That situation was sad and does not represent the country we want to build,” he said.

He added, “We the Economic Fighters of Liberia want to inform the international community that going forward that the Government of Liberia including the security apparatus has become a partisan force and we will then resort to putting into place by putting into place self-security measures by utilizing the DORs [Declaration of Readiness to Proceed] within the EFFL to provide security for opposition leaders.

“Going forward, we will no longer take instructions from national security actors, including the police.”

According to him, the DORs consist of ex-combatants from Charles Taylor’s ATU and other rebel factions and retired soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia.

“Going forward, the only group of people we can trust to provide security for our country and to provide security for our leaders would be the DORs of the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia and we strongly believe that our DORs being former security personnel who have gone through gorilla training have the requisite credential to provide security for our leaders.”

Also, in response to the clash between the two political parties, Amb. Boakai declared that the party will not tolerate intimidation or fear tactics from the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) during the election period. Boakai emphasized that the Unity Party, known for its commitment to peace, will not allow the CDC thugs to undermine their campaign. He asserted that no individual possesses a monopoly over violence.

Boakai asserted, “Unity Party will not sit idly by and allow the CDC to trample on us. Nobody holds a monopoly over violence. During President Weah’s campaign kickoff, there was a casket displayed, falsely claiming it was meant for me.”

No Election Security Funding?

Gonquoi’s rants and Boakai’s statement come amid growing concerns over the government’s delay in allocating funds for the security sector. Gonquoi, a prominent figure in Liberian politics, has voiced his frustrations, raising alarms about the potential impact of this funding delay on the security of the pending elections.

The government had earmarked a crucial US$4 million for election security, a responsibility that rests solely with the Government of Liberia. International partners, while supportive, have indicated that they will not cover the funding shortfall. A senior diplomatic official emphasized the urgency of the situation, urging the prompt release of the promised funds to ensure a secure and stable electoral process.

Against the backdrop of these concerns, a recent USAID assessment report from December 2022 has cast a spotlight on Liberia’s ongoing struggles to overcome the lingering effects of a prolonged and devastating civil war. The report underscores the nation’s challenges in political, security, institutional, and social realms.

The USAID assessment team conducted surveys well in advance of the October elections, revealing a mixed picture of the electoral landscape. On one hand, there were positive indications of early pre-campaigning activities by political parties and candidates. However, the report also revealed uncertainty among respondents about the potential for peaceful elections, given that official nominations were yet to be made and individual contests were still taking shape.

The report also addresses the broader socio-economic context in Liberia. Despite progress in peacebuilding, economic recovery, and democratic governance since the end of the civil war in 2003, significant challenges persist. Notably, the national reconciliation and peacebuilding process remains incomplete, a concern shared by many Liberians and human rights advocates. The report further highlights deep-rooted socioeconomic inequalities and frustrations among the populace due to unfulfilled promises of economic improvement.

President Weah’s pledges to prioritize the needs of the less fortunate and champion indigenous Liberians have faced criticism for not translating into tangible changes for the majority. This situation has given rise to tensions and divisions within Liberian society, as the administration’s efforts to provide state employment to Indigenous Liberians have ignited power struggles between different factions of the elite class. Young people, too, continue to face challenges in accessing education and employment opportunities, further contributing to societal divisions.

“We strongly believe that any military intervention at the moment in Niger would be catastrophic in totality for the region,” EFFL noted in a communication on Tuesday, August 8

“Best to our knowledge is the fact that ECOWAS has become a shameless reactionary regional organization managed by corrupt political elites in the region without any new ideas.”

The opposition political faction noted that the regional body has increasingly become unnecessary in the context of providing regional leadership, since its once cherished core values of promoting good governance with emphasis on the rule of law and regional economic growth and integration have in recent years taken nosedive, by becoming “Presidents’ club pageantry.”

Undoubtedly, EFFL said ECOWAS is the source of all the leadership misconducts in the region by the body’s “reactionary posture” and should never be considered a progressive regional force for good.

The EFFL added that under the watch of ECOWAS, corruption has become a way of life by governments, thereby denying their citizens better education, healthcare, and job creation, while ECOWAS citizens are dying each day in the Atlantic Ocean in pursuit of better opportunities in the Western world.

“As we speak, dozens have gone missing after a migrant boat sank off the Italian coast. What has been the progressive position of ECOWAS?” the group opined.

 “Elections in the region are stolen by ruling governments while others are allotting unto themselves unlimited terms in the presence of ECOWAS without any position because ruling parties usually provide kickbacks to their so-called representatives in the name of former Heads of State who are usually sent to monitor elections in the region. Where is ECOWAS with the single currency regime intended to promote free trade and economic growth within the region?

When you steal election results and take unconstitutional additional terms, it’s a coup d’état as well, and has ECOWAS ever reinforced any position on a ruling party to demand a re-conduct of questionable elections in the region?”

Therefore, EFFL insists that mediation efforts should continue with the military leaders in Niger and not any form of grandstanding by the use of the foreign military intervention.

They said the region has become vulnerable to military actions because of terrible leadership on the part of governments in power and that to stop these military leaders from seizing power in an undemocratic way, sitting Presidents must conform to the tenets of good governance.

EFFL is further nonplused over while

region is blessed with natural resources but the best places for medical checkups or treatments for governmental officials are in the Diaspora when these fall the poor working class can’t afford medical bills they countries are left to die daily in hospitals that are not given proper care.

The group further claimed that President George Weah has weakened the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and violated the Laws of Liberia and ECOWAS has done nothing to keep the President in check.

It said, that these actions are signals that lead to military actions, as such, the “neo-colonial tactics” by Western Allies in controlling ECOWAS for military intervention to promote their selfish interest should not be supported in Niger.

EFFL is further demanding ECOWAS to withdraw any form of military intervention supported by the West, from Niger and continue the initial mediation efforts with the timetable provided to the military leaders for smooth transition in returning the country to democratic rule.

Going forward, EFFL has expressed fear over what it calls the most likelihood of the elections to be stolen by the ruling establishment if care is not taken.

“However, any form of neo-colonialism by Western Allies in the region will be resisted by the growing radical and Pan Africanist organizations in the region,” the communication signed by EFFL Commander-in-Chief Emmanuel Gonqueh maintained.

Meanwhile, EFFL has urged ECOWAS to exercise self-examination and reflect on its founding manifesto, to and desist from being a puppet of colonial powers.