By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Sept 12, GNA – Dr Omar Alieu Touray, President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, has approved the deployment of 15-member Long-Term Election Observers (LTOs) to monitor key stages in the upcoming general election in Liberia.
Liberians are going to the polls for elections on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
A statement issued by the ECOWAS Commission and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday said the deployment was consistent with the provision of Articles 12 to 14 of the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance on assistance to Member States holding elections.
It said the Long-Term Observation Mission (LTOM), headed by Mr Serigne Mamadou KA, Acting Head of the Electoral Assistance Division comprised of experts in election administration, gender and civil society, constitutional law, security and the media.
The statement explained that the LTO Mission would be in Liberia until Sunday, October 15, 2023, to observe the electoral processes and serve as an early warning mechanism for preventive diplomacy.
“During their stay, the electoral experts will hold working sessions with various stakeholders, including the National Elections Commission (NEC), government, civil society organizations, the media, security agencies, as well as political parties and candidates, toward ensuring a smooth electoral process,” it said.
The ECOWAS LTOs would be reinforced on October 3 October by 80 of their Short-Term colleagues drawn from the ECOWAS Council of the Wise, ECOWAS Parliament and Community Court of Justice, member States’ foreign ministries, electoral management bodies, as well as civil society organisations.
The combined observation Mission, led by Prof Attahiru Jega, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria, observers would be deployed across Liberia’s 15 Counties including the national capital, Monrovia.
The Mission would issue a Preliminary Declaration within 48 hours after the elections, to be followed by a detailed Final Report on its observations.
Some 2,471,617 registered voters among Liberia’s estimated population of 5.4 million are expected to elect Liberia’s new President, 15 Senators, and 73 members of the House of Representatives.
President George Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) is seeking re-election for a second term.
He stands up against 19 other candidates, Mr Joseph Boakai, a former Vice-President of the Unity Party and Mr Alexander Cummings of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).
GNA