Monrovia — The Liberian Council of Churches (LCC) and collaboration with Women's Situation Room (WSR) an institution established to ensure nonviolent elections, have expressed deepened concern about a statement made by the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Secretary-General, Jefferson Koijee, when he told partisans to prepare for their victory celebration.
The CDC's Secretary-General, in a remark on October 17, 2023, assured large gathering of supporters at their national party headquarters that preparations for the inauguration scheduled for next January, were well underway. "Let's get ready for the inauguration. We want to celebrate like never before", Koijee said.
But during press conference held on October, 21, 2023, Secretary-General of the LCC, Rev. Christopher Wleh Toe, called the CDC Secretary-General should desist from making pronouncement of victory when the final tally of results has not been announced by the National Elections Commission (NEC) and where 99% of the tally so far indicate that there would be a run-off election.
Recently, NEC boss, Daviedetta Browne Lansanah confirmed that the Commission has received 99.97% of the polling places, with a rerun for Presidential, Senatorial and Representatives elections expected to take place at precinct in Beo Lonto Public School in electoral District#4, Nimba County.
She has not announced the full numbers of final but there is an imminent runoff in the Presidential race between incumbent President George Weah of the CDC and Unity Party, Standard Bearer Joseph N. Boakai.
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Rev. Toe emphasized, "The Liberian Council of Churches and the Women's Situation Room see the CDC Secretary General's victory remarks as premature and a source of provoking violence."
"We are calling on him and other officials to wait until the final results are announced by the NEC. Even were NEC to announce a run-off, we must be cautious in proclaiming victory before NEC gives the final results," release stated.
It further stated, "We call on the leadership of CDC to inform their partisans to desist from pre-celebration announcements, as it would contribute to sparking violence. At the same time the NEC must similarly take issue with the CDC and condemn the premature victory remarks."
It can be recalled on 16 October 2023, the LCC and the WSR of the Angie Brooks International Centre For Women Empowerment, Leadership Development, Peace & Security (ABIC), in joint press conference called on the Liberians to remain calm and non-violent as they await the final elections results.
He, however, urged the exuberant Unity Party which has being the frontrunner for pronouncing victory celebration before NEC final announcement of results to desist making said statement.
He further indicated, "Said pronouncement as it would be provocative and untimely as well as inciteful contrary to their signatory of the Farmington River Declaration. We ask all political parties to not yield to provocative statements and continue to remain calm and non-violent."
Accordingly, he called on NEC to investigate and respond to the growing allegations of many issues that compromise the integrity of the data that is being put out in the public - real or imagined, emphasizing that they do not intend to have aspersion cast on the process.
