The Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) say they want the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the Unity Party (UP) to ensure a peaceful run-off election in the country.
According to the Executive Director of WONGOSOL, Esther Davis Yango, the organization extends its appreciation to all Liberians, especially the women of Liberia, for exercising their Constitutional and civic duties by turning out to vote on October 10, 2023.
Yango made the statement over the weekend as Liberians are preparing to go to the poll on Tuesday for run-off election for the presidency.
She underscored that WONGOSOL also commends the National Elections Commission (NEC) and the Liberia Joint Security for the peaceful conduct of the October 10, 2023 general and presidential election.
She indicated that, as required by the Constitution of Liberia, no political party was able to secure the 50%-plus-1 vote to be declared winner, which resulted to the National Elections Commission (NEC) declaring a run-off election, scheduled for Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
“We acknowledge all our national and international partners and observers for the role they played in ensuring the election was peaceful and credible,” Yango stated.
“We hereby call on the both parties in the run-off, the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the opposition Unity Party (UP), to ensure that they adhere to the Farmington Declaration, committing to a violence-free election,” she asserted.
According to her, WONGOSOL acknowledges the efforts of the joint security on October 10, 2023, and calls on them to remain impartial and independent in performing their duties during the run-off.
“To the National Elections Commission (NEC), our country Liberia heavily relies on your transparency, and calls on you to employ all credible, independent and accountable processes to avoid any form of violence or instability” Yango maintained.
“We call on NEC to put in place measures to avoid the minor irregularities observed and reported from the October 10, 2023 election by national, international and party monitors and observers. Some of those included chaotic queues due to poor or no queue controllers, impersonation and poor coordination at different voting precincts,” she pointed out.
She explained that Liberians, especially the young people, should conduct themselves in an orderly manner and not allow themselves to be influenced by politicians to carry out violence.
“We are about to make history, and the world is watching to see how we conduct ourselves on November 14, and afterwards,” she said.
“Thus, as we enthusiastically await the November 14, 2023 run-off election, we are calling on all Liberians, especially the women, to turnout en mass to vote as they did on October 10, 2023,” she asserted.
Yango noted, “The results of these elections determine the fate of Mama Liberia for the next six years, and Liberia is all we have; therefore, let us have a peaceful run-off election.”