West Africa: Gongloe Supporters Distrust ECOWAS

6 July 2023
The New Dawn (Monrovia)
By Lincoln G. Peters

-In handling Liberia's elections

Supporters of presidential hopeful Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe have expressed distrust in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in supervising Liberia's presidential and legislative elections this October.

The political group named Gongloe Youth Movement (GYM), addressed a major press conference Wednesday, 5 July 2023 at the Liberian People's Party (LPP) office in Monrovia.

During the press conference, the group's vice chair for Political Education and Strategic Training Mr. Mohammed Deybo questioned ECOWAS' credibility to protect the votes of the Liberian people.

"The Gongloe Youth Movement doesn't trust the credibility of ECOWAS to protect the votes of the Liberian People," he said.

He accused ECOWAS of being a political club of allegedly corrupt West African elites who are prepared to defend their fellow thieves against the popular will of the struggling masses.

"ECOWAS is nothing but a political club of corrupt West African elites who are prepared to defend their fellow thieves against the popular will of the struggling masses. ECOWAS can't be trusted as a serious body for election integrity in Liberia," Mr. Deygbo alleged.

Mr. Deygbo's political leader, renowned Liberian human rights lawyer Cllr. Gongloe, is among several opposition leaders seeking the presidency during this year's presidential and legislative elections.

Incumbent President George Manneh Weah is seeking a second term in office.

However, Mr. Deygbo urged the opposition political parties and well-meaning Liberians to consolidate their efforts against President Weah and the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) to resist their alleged plan to rig the elections.

He alleged that ECOWAS constantly sides with leaders and institutions that seek third terms and constitutional change in violation of the rights of the masses.

Mr. Deygbo alleged further that ECOWAS supported the third term bid of the former presidents of neighboring Guinea and Ivory Coast.

Meanwhile, Mr. Deygbo alleged that they detect a plan by President Weah and the CDC to rig the pending elections, though he provided no evidence.

He pointed to the government's allegedly inability to inadequately finance the National Elections Commission (NEC).

Mr. Deygbo also said they do not trust the NEC because it has Commissioner Floyd O. Sayor with questionable integrity.

Read the original article on New Dawn.

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