ECC, LEON, and WANEP Deploy Over 100 Observers for Nimba County Senatorial By-Election; Urge Voters to Vote Peacefully
As Nimba County prepares for its senatorial by-election on April 22, 2025, the Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC), the Liberia Election Observation Network (LEON), and the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP-Liberia) have jointly deployed over 100 trained observers across the county to monitor the election process.
The by-election, triggered by the unfortunate death of Senator Prince Y. Johnson, is a critical democratic exercise for the people of Nimba. In recognition of the county’s political significance, with over 300,000 registered voters, ECC, LEON, and WANEP are urging all citizens to participate peacefully, putting aside historical grievances and political differences for the greater good of Liberia’s democracy.
According to a joint press statement, read by ECC Chairman Malcolm Joseph in Ganta, Nimba County, a total of 88 short-term observers and 13 supervisors and coordinators have been deployed to monitor the set-up, voting, counting, and tallying procedures at polling places across Nimba’s nine electoral districts. Additionally, situational updates will be coordinated through a Joint Election Data Center established in Ganta.
The National Elections Commission (NEC) has certified seven candidates for the by-election, including one female aspirant. The observing organizations commended the NEC’s commitment to inclusivity and transparency, and encouraged greater participation of women in future elections.
While the pre-election period remained largely peaceful, ECC, LEON, and WANEP noted isolated incidents of divisive rhetoric and a notable disturbance involving candidate Edith Gongloe Weh’s campaign team. Despite these challenges, political actors have largely upheld their commitments to the Farmington Declaration and the Violence Against Women in Elections (VAWie) Protocol.
The organizations commended the NEC for the timely distribution of electoral materials, and lauded the Liberia National Police’s efforts to bolster security. “Civic and voter education campaigns led by local organizations have also been crucial in preparing voters for Tuesday’s election,” the joint statement observed.
“On election day, ECC, LEON, and WANEP call on all voters to exercise their rights peacefully and respect the process; all candidates and their supporters to maintain calm and uphold democratic principles; the NEC to ensure transparent, timely communication on results; and security forces to engage voters with professionalism and patience,” the statement noted.
The three organizations underscored that all grievances regarding the election results should be addressed through legal channels. “A preliminary observation statement will be issued shortly after election day, followed by a comprehensive final report,” the groups added.