What is being taken for granted by the National Elections Commission (NEC) is gradually breeding national security crisis, with the Standard Bearer of the Unity Party (UP) and former Vice President of the Republic, Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai, threatening that Lofa County and the Unity Party have had enough and will not continue to accept being insulted, disrespected and disenfranchised by the Weah government.
The NEC recently released the provisional list of qualified candidates in the upcoming Lofa senatorial by-election, but with a demarcation between the five (5) completely qualified candidates and the Unity Party (UP) candidate, Galakpai W. Kortimai, with a note that the UP candidate is before the NEC Scrutiny Panel, and that the decision from the panel will confirm whether or not the UP candidate will take part in the election or be denied.
However, Ambassador Boakai has quickly responded to the NEC decision, threatening that any attempt to exclude the Unity Party from its legitimate and Constitutional rights to contest as a registered political party will be a direct infringement of the political participation of hundreds of thousands of Liberian voters who will be disenfranchised, gullible, and subsequently exposed to matters that could have national security concerns.
This is arguably the first of its kind for Ambassador Boakai, who is seen by many as a man of peace, to threaten the peace and stability of the nation and, therefore, cannot be taken for a grain of salt.
In a statement issued yesterday, Ambassador Boakai said, “The National Elections Commission (NEC) of Liberia, under the leadership of Mrs. Davidetta Browne-Lassana, over the last twenty-four hours released the Lofa County senatorial by-election Race Provisional List. We, the Unity Party, take notice with very serious concern that the name of our candidate, Mr. Galakpai W. Kortimai, is not amongst those being cleared as one of the Provisional Aspirants even though he has met all the requirements provided under our election’s laws and our Constitution.
“We take serious note of the reason given by the NEC, and we are therefore following very keenly and critically the activities of the on-going hearings at the NEC headquarters. While our capable team of lawyers are making quality representation on our behalf, of which we are very pleased, we are nevertheless aware of the undertones of the hearings which smelled of a sinister attempt to deprive the Unity Party of fielding our senatorial candidate in Lofa for 2022 by-election and presidential and other candidates in the 2023 elections.
“We are also concerned that any delay in giving the Unity Party’s candidate his full clearance is a deliberate plan to delay his campaign and give the others due advantage.
“Let me emphasize again that the Unity Party and people of Lofa have had enough, and will not continue to accept being insulted, disrespected, and disenfranchised by the Weah government.
“Make no mistake that our position taken in the disenfranchisement of Lofa citizens in the case of Senator-elect Brownie Samukai, was not from a position of weakness.
“Any attempt to exclude the Unity Party from its legitimate and Constitutional rights to contest as a registered political party, once the ruling party of Liberia, will be a direct infringement of the political participation of hundreds of thousands of Liberian voters who will be disenfranchised, gullible, and subsequently exposed to matters that could have national security concerns.
“Therefore, I, Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Former Vice President of Liberia and Standard Bearer of the Unity Party, is sending a clarion call to the National Elections Commission (NEC) again, that it is our expectation that the NEC will do the right thing. Let me again state, categorically, that there will be no final listing from the Elections Commission published for the Lofa County by-election senatorial race that will not have the name of the Unity Party candidate, and thus I must repeat that we expect the NEC to do the right thing.
“NEC, by the way, was set up to do the right thing and to avoid election chaos at all times.
“Finally, let me say this in the strongest of words that I remain resolute on my unflinching commitment to the people of Lofa, UP partisans, and supporters around the country and the Diaspora, that as your leader and torchbearer I am sufficiently prepared and will do all within my means to ensure that not one Lofa citizen will again be disrespected and disenfranchised under my leadership during this 2022 by-election Lofa senatorial race. Let me also make it clear: the wrongs we are fighting to correct in Lofa will not also be accepted in any other political subdivision in Liberia.
“As we await the final outcome of the NEC’s Nomination Committee Scrutiny Panel, we pray that God will guide the decision-making of all those involved. Let us together do everything to keep Liberia PEACEFUL.
“May God bless the works of our hands and save the State.”