By Mark B. Dumbar & Perry B. Zordyu
The Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Davidatta Brown Lassana has warned political parties to avoid early celebrations ahead of the preliminary results of the just-ended Presidential Runoff Election across the country.
According to Madam Brown-Lasanah, Liberians should not take the streets making their supporters to believe that their candidate has won. Speaking Wednesday, November 15, 2023 during the announcement of preliminary results of the just-ended Presidential Runoff Election, the called on the Unity Party and the Coalition for Democratic Change to refrain from early celebration as the electoral body is still in the process of announcing preliminary results of the election.
She said any political party member who will take to the streets to celebrate their party’s victory will be doing so on their own.She added that those who find running the streets to celebrate should be held responsible.
Madam Brown mentioned that such action should not be allowed as the preliminary results are still coming. She urged Liberians to only listen to the National Elections Commission which is clothed with the constitutional authority to announce results of an election and not any other institutions.
Madam Brown mentioned that it has come to the knowledge of the National Elections Commission that some political party’sagents were involved in taking voters’ identification cards at various polling centers.
Madam Brown assured the Liberian people of given results that would satisfy their desires. She also cautioned the media to give a good report about the just-ended Presidential Runoff Election across the country. Madam Brown further stated that the media plays an important role in ensuring that peace is maintained in the country.
According to her, the media should play a major role in ensuring that the issue of violence will not be perpetuated.
At the same time, the International Secretary General of the Federation of African Law Students (FALAS) Mr. Ephraim T. Nyumah has described the pre-celebration and pronouncement of unofficial results by political parties across the country as a complete recipe for chaos, urging political parties heads to demonstrate leadership by influencing the actions of their supporters.
“From the angle of the Federation of the African Law Students (FALAS), we want to call on every citizens of the country, especially political parties to desist from pre-victory celebration and unofficial results pronouncement. This is a recipe for chaos. We urge political parties heads to demonstrate leadership by informing their supporters that the only body charged with such authority is the NEC,” he stated.
According to him, they will not encourage political parties and their heads giving assurance to their supporters that they have won the election, despite the fact that every political party has itsmeans to tabulate their results.
He urged Montserrado County District #10 Representative,Yekeh Kolubah and others member of the Unity Party youth league and supporters of the CDC to disengage from announcing results and pre-celebration and wait for the final results from NEC.
“Let them abide by the law and await the NEC to announce the final results. If you make your supporters to believe that you have won the election and the NEC official results do not go in your favor that will obviously create chaos,” Mr. Nyumah pointed out.
He further argued that any political party or head that refuses to talk to their supporters to desist is a sign of leadership failure and disrespect for the Constitution and law.
He disclosed that if anybody wants to led, the only thing they have to guide them is the Constitution therefore, if they can’t respect the Constitution, they are not capable of leading the country.
“If a political party will not respect the Constitution all they are telling us is that if they lead the country, they will not be able to governor well because they are showing the early signs of recklessness by not obeying the Constitution. The law gives the NEC fifteen days and so let the CDC and UP exercise patient and restraint and if they are not satisfied with the results they should go to the Supreme Court,” he urged.
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