-For parading with a casket bearing an opposition image
The campaign team of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has strongly condemned the act of its supporters parading the streets with a coffin bearing photos of opposition leader Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai.
The CDC campaign team issued the condemnation minutes after its supporters paraded with the coffin on the first day of the campaign on Saturday, 5 August 2023.
"We can't allow people to injure this peace. The president has asked me to rebuke those Liberians and ask them to refrain from all forms of violence," CDC Secretary General and Monrovia Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee said.
"We can't win these elections by injuring the peace. We call on those young patriotic citizens to refrain from any act that will spark up violence," he added.
Koijee said the action of some young CDC partisans and supporters to have paraded the principal streets of Monrovia with coffins bearing Boakai's image was uncalled for and totally out of order.
He said it did not represent the character of the founder of the CDC, incumbent President George Manneh Weah.
"We want to frown at the decision of our partisans who took to the streets parading with coffins carrying photos of the standard bearer of the opposition Unity Party, Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai. This is totally uncalled for and out of order," Koijee stated.
Koijee said the ruling party wants to protect the peace, adding that President Weah has no intention to compromise the peace.
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Mr. Koijee suggested that the CDC has no intention to injure the peace that everyone is enjoying today.
"Our biggest competitors in these elections are the Liberian people. We are competing to change their living conditions. We are competing to bring better and affordable healthcare system, and to improve the education sector," said Koijee.
The CDC Secretary General explained that he had been asked to encourage supporters never to get involved in acts of violence.
According to him, the CDC is a party that believes in peace, noting that it won't tolerate any of its partisans and supporters causing chaos, especially during the camping periods.
Maritime Commissioner Len Eugene Nagbe said the act carried out by CDC supporters was unacceptable.
According to him, the Weah-Taylor 2023 Campaign Committee re-commits itself to the conduct of an issue-based campaign that emphasizes the exceptional record of development and good governance of President Weah.
Mr. Nagbe stressed the importance of maintaining a peaceful, democratic environment.
'This action is unacceptable and does not represent the set of activities that have been envisioned to characterize this crucial democratic exercise," said Mr. Nagbe.
