Monrovia — In an effort to promote unity and peace in the lead-up to the October 10 polls, the Chairperson of the ruling party, Mulbah Morlu, notably abstained from a critical dialogue held on Friday.
The consultative gathering aimed to reinforce adherence to the 'Farmington Declaration' among political parties, emphasizing the need for campaign messages to adopt a peaceful approach.
This significant meeting brought together prominent leaders of opposition political parties, including Rev. Luther Tarpeh from the Unity Party (UP), Musa Bility, Chairman of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Yanqui Zaza, Chairperson of the Liberia People Party (LPP), and Ansu Dulleh, Chairperson of the All Liberia Coalition Party.
As the October poll draws nearer, Liberians have only 36 days left to contemplate how to avoid violence and preserve the country's decades of peaceful coexistence.
One of the central figures advocating for peaceful elections is Dr. Ibrahim Nyei, who organized the dialogue. Dr. Nyei expressed his satisfaction in witnessing key political figures commit to peace, despite the intense political debates surrounding the campaign.
Dr. Nyei remarked, "The Constitution is clear, the election laws are clear, and the parties have signed the Farmington declaration. Our way forward is to organize dialogues and solidarity meetings with the parties, encouraging them to engage their constituents, provide civil education, and emphasize the importance of adhering to electoral laws for the sake of maintaining peace in the country."
He continued, "Unfortunately, we invited five political parties, including the Liberia People Party, the Liberty Party chairman (who also chairs the CPP), the Chairman of the All Liberia Coalition Party, and the Chairman of the Unity Party. The Chairman of the CDC was invited, confirmed his attendance, but regrettably, he did not show up, nor did we receive any explanation for his absence."
Dr. Nyei concluded by saying, "We are pleased that the discussions proceeded well, with these parties expressing their commitment to peaceful elections. They intend to reconvene this meeting with the CDC, as it is a ruling party and a significant player."
Following the closed-door meeting, Rev. Tarpeh, the UP Chairperson, commended Dr. Nyei for convening political leaders to discuss peaceful and violence-free elections. He reaffirmed his party's dedication to the Farmington Declaration, despite the challenges and provocations from the CDC.
Rev. Tarpeh stressed that the UP considers the CDC a political competitor, not an enemy. He emphasized their commitment to ensuring that political competition does not lead to violence, stating, "We want to unseat the CDC because the country is heading in the wrong direction. We have a nation to build and young people to provide jobs for. We encourage all political actors to prevent our country from descending into violence due to elections."
He continued, "We are committed to ensuring that our people do not flee the country due to political competition. We want to assure the Liberian people, Unity Party partisans, and supporters of the 'rescue mission' that we will proceed peacefully."
Musa Bility, Chairperson of the Liberia People Party and Chairperson for the CPP, emphasized his party's commitment to putting Liberia first and ensuring that party members respect election laws. Bility stated that the opposition parties would identify potential threats to peace and collaborate to prevent them, saying, "We have agreed to work for peace, to ensure a non-violent election. We will share information and stand together against any violence targeting anyone."
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Chairman Ansu Dulleh of the All Liberia Coalition Party also emphasized the commitment of opposition parties to maintain peace throughout the election process. He urged political actors to focus on the bigger picture beyond the election and work towards building confidence among their supporters, with the ultimate goal of achieving a peaceful outcome.
Dulleh stated, "There will be a result, and that result should be peace. We should refrain from attacking each other and focus on the process moving forward."
In a brief statement, Yanqui Zaza, Chairman of the Liberia People Party, expressed his party's determination to rid Liberia of the culture of violence. Zaza urged all parties to honor the agreements they signed, uphold the spirit of non-violence, and resolve any concerns through legal means rather than resorting to violence.
