Liberian Government Ignores Recommendations to Reform Electoral Process, Says Joe Boakai

The Liberian government has been accused of ignoring the recommendations put forth by international organizations to reform the country’s electoral process.

The Unity Party, Liberia’s largest opposition party, released the press statement when they affixed their signatures to the Farmington Declaration that reaffirmed their commitment to non-violent, free, fair, and transparent elections in October of this year.

In the press statement, the Unity Party pointed out that the country’s electoral process has been marred by irregularities, including allegations of voter suppression and fraud. The statement noted that the government has not taken any steps to address these issues, despite the recommendations made by international organizations.

“After the 2017 legislative and presidential elections, a comprehensive report was made outlining several recommendations that would reform and standardize our electoral process. Sadly, all of the very brilliant recommendations that were proffered by our Supreme Court, ECOWAS, International and Local Partners were left to rot in the dustbin. It would appear like our government does not care about reforming the electoral process.”

Additionally, the press statement condemned the government for conducting numerous by-elections, which have been plagued by instances of violence. “Since the assumption of leadership by President Weah and the CDC, we have witnessed several bi-elections that have been marred by violence,” the statement continued. “Those who carried out the planned attack wounded some of Telia’s supporters. All this was an attempt to instill fear in the supporters.”

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The Unity Party called on the government to take immediate action to address these issues and ensure that the upcoming elections are free, fair, and transparent.

The government’s failure to address the concerns raised by the international community and opposition parties is a cause for concern. Without transparent and fair elections, the people of Liberia will continue to lose faith in their democratic institutions. It is imperative that the government take immediate action to address these issues and ensure that the electoral process is reformed in accordance with international standards.