The ECOWAS observer team for the Liberian run-off presidential election on Wednesday in Monrovia said the opposition boycott of the election was inconsistent with the commission’s protocol.
The presidential candidate of the opposition party (Congress for Democratic Change), Winston Tubman, had announced the boycott of the run-off election, barely four days to the election day, Nov. 8.
The Head of the ECOWAS Observer Team, Prof. Attahiru Jega, told newsmen that the presidential candidate of the opposition party prescribed conditions to the Liberian electoral commission that was difficult to meet before the election day.
He said such requirements, which included changing of the membership of the commission, should have been brought forwarded six months before the election.
“The ECOWAS observer team noted with regret the boycott of the polls despite efforts by the Chairman of the Commission, President Goodluck Jonathan, to reconcile the sides in order to retain the integrity of the process,” Jega said.
He said the turn out for the voting was generally low compared to the first round of the elections held on Oct. 11.
Jega also said the rally by the CDC to drum home its reservation a day before the presidential election resulted in violence, with many casualties.
He said the ECOWAS team was still investigating the violence and would publish its findings afterwards.
Jega said: “In all the polling stations visited, the CDC party agents were conspicuously missing.”
Asked about the closure of media houses by the government, Jega said ECOWAS would always stand by the principle of free expression, except it compromises the
security of the country.
On the way forward for the divided country, the head of the observer team said ECOWAS would play its role of ensuring peace and good governance in
every country.
Uneasy calm continues in Monrovia, with local security operatives and the UN peace mission in Liberia monitoring the headquarters of the CDC.
Liberia, which is the oldest republic in Africa, is still smarting from 14 years of civil war that impoverished its citizens and destroyed major infrastructure.
More than 250, 000 people died during the civil war that ended in 2003.
Liberia is having its first locally organised elections after the war. The first election after the war in 2005 was organised by the UN.
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, 73, had no opposition for the run-off presidential election, hence she cruised to victory and her second term in office.