Mamba Point, Monrovia Liberia
Contacts: +231886-661-061/+231776-661-061
Email address: [email protected]
His Excellency
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr.
President of the Republic of Liberia
Office of the President
Executive Mansion
Capitol Hill
Monrovia, Liberia
West Africa
April 1, 2026
Subject: Withdrawal of the Nomination of Jonathan K. Weedor as Chairperson of the National Elections Commission
Your Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr.,
I extend to you my profound compliments and address you with a heart filled with respect for your high office and with the unshaken conviction that your commitment to the advancement and consolidation of Liberia's hard-earned democratic gains is genuine and unwavering.
Permit me, Your Excellency, to speak not as one opposed to your administration, nor as one disposed to opposition for its own sake, but rather as a citizen, as a son of this soil, as one deeply concerned with the fragile and delicate foundations upon which our young democracy rests, foundations that are often invisible in the calm of routine governance, but foundations that are tested, indeed strained, in moments when the nation's trust is placed upon the scales and when every decision carries consequences for peace and stability.
It is against this solemn backdrop that I reflect upon the nomination of Mr Jonathan K. Weedor to serve as Chairman of the National Elections Commission. His service within the Commission is neither unknown nor insignificant. His familiarity with its administrative processes, with its personnel, and with its intricate workings commands acknowledgment and even respect. Yet, the matter before the Republic at this juncture goes beyond mere familiarity, and it transcends even competence, for what is demanded of the head of the NEC is not merely the execution of tasks, but the command of confidence and the embodiment of neutrality in the full view of the Liberian people.
In the domain of electoral governance, credentials and years of service, however commendable, do not alone secure the public trust. Confidence is built, first and foremost, in the minds and hearts of citizens. Confidence is rooted in what people believe to be true even before the first ballot is cast. And it is this belief that must remain unshakable if the results of elections are to be accepted as legitimate. The Chair of the National Elections Commission must therefore occupy a station that is not simply neutral in reality, but unmistakably neutral in the eyes of all Liberians, across every political divide, across every social and geographic boundary. When this perception of neutrality is even partially clouded, the institution itself is placed upon a precarious foundation, and every decision it makes, however sound, becomes vulnerable to doubt and dispute.
Your Excellency, Liberia's democracy is burdened with the weight of its history. We are not far removed from a past where distrust in public institutions fed division and prolonged instability. The nation has laboured, painstakingly, with the support of development partners and with the resilience of its people, to rebuild not only the structures of governance but the trust that gives those structures meaning. That trust, however, remains delicate. It is fragile. It is susceptible to even the slightest whisper of doubt or the faintest perception of partisanship.
It is for this reason, Your Excellency, that perceived neutrality must be elevated from a consideration that is secondary or convenient to a principle that is central and inescapable in the appointment of anyone entrusted with the stewardship of our elections. In a society still healing from the wounds of conflict, questions of neutrality, even if unintended, travel quickly across political lines, take root in suspicion, and harden into narratives that no law, no procedural technicality, and no declaration of competence can easily dispel.
The experiences of other post-conflict and fragile democracies stand as sober lessons for us all. In Kenya, the crisis of confidence in the electoral body did not erupt on the day of the election. It began long before, in the quiet doubts of citizens who questioned whether the referee stood above the contest, impartial and fair. When the results were announced, those doubts erupted into unrest that left scars the nation still bears. In Côte d'Ivoire, competing claims to electoral legitimacy plunged the nation into chaos, fractured its institutions, and exacted a heavy toll in human life. In Sierra Leone, even in recent times, the perception of partiality has shown how swiftly political tension can gather when trust in institutions is thin. These stories are neither distant nor irrelevant to Liberia; they are urgent reminders that the integrity of elections is as much about the perception of fairness as it is about the mechanics of procedure.
It is in recognition of this reality, with the deepest respect and the clearest intention of constructive counsel, that I submit that the present nomination, however meritorious in experience and skill, carries the risk of placing the NEC in a position where its decisions, however correct, may be received with doubt. This is not a judgment upon the character of the nominee. It is a sober recognition of the political environment into which he is to be appointed. In such an environment, even the faintest appearance of alignment with one political interest, however unintended, can diminish the authority of the office and erode public confidence in the institution itself.
Your Excellency, leadership often requires decisions that transcend the letter of law and engage the spirit of wisdom. A voluntary reconsideration and withdrawal of this nomination at this time would not diminish your administration, but would, in fact, elevate it. It would demonstrate a profound commitment to national cohesion, reassure opposition actors that the field of contest remains fair, strengthen the confidence of development partners who invest in Liberia's democratic progress, and above all, send a clear message to the Liberian people that fairness, restraint, and foresight remain the guiding principles of governance.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
There are moments in public service when the most powerful and lasting act is not insistence, but measured reconsideration. Your Excellency, I respectfully suggest that this is one such moment.
I trust that you will receive this letter in the spirit in which it is offered, as a contribution to the enduring credibility of our democratic institutions, and as a sincere appeal for a Liberia in which elections unite rather than divide, and in which the people can place their trust in institutions without reservation.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest respect and firm esteem.
Yours faithfully,
Julius T. Jaesen II
Managing Editor and Publisher
Democracy Watch
