The Liberia People Democratic Party (LPDP), a constituent party of the Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC), has emphasized that peace be maintained during and after the October 10, 2023 general and presidential elections.
According to the Chairman of LPDP, D. Wa Hne, the Unity Party (UP) and Liberia Action Party (LAP), which merged as the new Unity Party and contested in the 2011 general and presidential elections, are noted for violence when they lose election.
Chairman Hne made the disclosure over the weekend in Barnesville as the party continued its community engagement in various districts of Montserrado County.
He noted that Liberia was one of the most peaceful countries in Africa before the 1980s, but when the UP and LAP lost the 1985 general and presidential elections to the late President Samuel K. Doe they claimed that the election was rigged and began to create confusion, at home and abroad, against the Government of Liberia (GOL).
He noted that UP’s partisans and officials are creating fake alarms that the CDC government will rig the pending 2023 general and presidential elections come October 10, claiming that they already realized their defeat against President Weah.
Chairman Hne maintained that partisans of the coalition should develop a team work campaign through the engagement of individuals in their communities and from house to house to ensure that the Liberian Leader wins the election in the first round.
According to him, President Weah is an exceptional leader that Liberia has never experienced since the establishment of the country, that individuals in the opposition camp can publicly insult him and his mother without having to look over their shoulders at night and being attacked at their homes. He observed that this has never happened in Liberia and other African countries before—people insulting their leader and going free, without any reaction from him.
He asserted that when officials of UP are out of government they do everything possible to prevent direct foreign investments from coming to Liberia, as Liberians have experienced in the first term of President Weah.
Chairman Hne emphasized that the opposition political parties, particularly the Unity Party, are claiming that the Commissioners of the National Elections Commission (NEC) are planning to cheat them in favor of President Weah, so if the Commission announces UP as the winner the Commission is fair, but if CDC wins than the Commission is not fair.
He explained that no amount of threat posed by UP and other opposition political parties should undermine the peace and stability the Liberian people are enjoying under the leadership of President Weah.
He noted that the Unity Party (UP), Liberia Action Party (LAP) and Liberia Unification Party (LUP) were defeated by the National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL) in the 1985 general and presidential election, but they claimed to be cheated and called for sanctions, organizing attempted coup plots and invasion against the late President Doe’s regime, which brought about the 14-year civil war in Liberia.
Chairman Hne maintained that the peace and stability of the nation are crucial for its socio-economic development, and every political party’s leader should adhere to peaceful election and a peaceful state after election.
In a related development, the Youth Chairman of LPDP, Robbin L. George, said President Weah has done extremely well in transforming Liberia during the past six years.
George stated that it is time for every CDCians and other supporters of the President to get on board to ensure that his re-election is a reality.
He underscored that as President Weah celebrates his birthday on October 1, the birthday gift expected of the Liberian people from all walks of life is that they cast their votes for him on October 10, 2023 to retain him as President of Liberia.
It may be recalled after the First Republic was overthrown in 1980, the 1985 general and presidential election was the beginning of the Second Republic of multi-party democracy.