Ecowas Statement on the Eve of The 8 November Presidential Run-off Elections

5 November 2011
Content from a Premium Partner
Economic Community of West African States (Abuja)
press release

The attention of the ECOWAS Commission has been drawn to an undated press statement titled "CDC Final Position on the holding of electionson November 8, 2011" and issued on 4 November 2011 by Ambassador Winston Tubman, standard bearer of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), in the aftermath of a meeting held a day earlier in Abuja with H.E. Goodluck Jonathan, President of Nigeria and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority.

In the statement, Ambassador Tubman informs about the withdrawal of CDC from the 8 November 2011 Presidential run-off election and calls on CDC followers and Liberians in general to stay away from the poll, citing 'unaddressed CDC complaints about voting irregularities' in the course of the first round of the election that took place on 11 October 2011. The ECOWAS Commission regards this statement as unfortunate, as it is intended to undermine the election and the democratic process that Liberians are striving hard to consolidate. It also goes against the grain of the discussions that Ambassador Tubman held with the Chairman of the Authority.

In that meeting, the Chairman advised the CDC leadership against boycotting the remainder of the electoral process, and impressed upon them that it was too late in the day, and quite against the relevant ECOWAS Protocols, for the CDC to demand changes that would require a consensual constitutional process of amending relevant electoral laws. Subsequently, the Chairman strongly urged Ambassador Tubman and all Liberians to endeavor to fully participate in the run-off in order to ensure a credible outcome and assist in the consolidation of democratic culture in the country.

In the light of the foregoing, the ECOWAS Commission deeply regrets the retrogressive tone of Ambassador Tubman's statement, which seeks to disrupt the concluding phase of the 2011 Presidential election. The Commission wishes, therefore, to reiterate that, for its part, provided the preparations and conduct of the second round of the presidential election are adjudged by the competent authorities and endorsed by credible observers to be in accordance with the electoral laws of Liberia, the Community will proceed to recognize the verdict of the Liberian people.

The Commission would further like to seize this occasion to launch a final appeal to the CDC, and indeed all Liberian stakeholders, not to miss this historic opportunity of consolidating democracy and peace in the country, and to actively participate in the 8 November poll. They are equally urged to refrain from all unconstitutional practices that may mar the concluding phase of the electoral process. The Commission wishes once more to caution that political leaders and  any individual or group of persons adjudged to be instigating their fellow citizens to violence will be held individually and collectively accountable for their actions.

H.E. James Victor Gbeho
President of the Commission   

Tagged:
Copyright © 2011 Economic Community of West African States. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.