The supervisory machinery and associated technologies of power undergirding the November 14th, 2023 Presidential Runoff Election in Liberia is at work putting final touches ahead of the D-Day. The election ran into a deadlock October 12th, 2023 when none of the leading candidates could obtain outright victory. Neither the incumbent president nor any of those seeking to route him got it. On November 14th, someone has to get it in the run-off election.
Prof. Attahiru Jega, the Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission is already back in Liberia and understood to have held meetings with several groups connected with the election day. Among them are the ECOWAS observers and stakeholders of the electoral process; Mr. Frank Musa Dean Jr, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Liberia, Mrs. Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, President of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), some civil society actors and the ECOWAS Technical Team.
Prof Jega and the Head of the AU EOM team, headed by Former Deputy-President of the Republic of South Africa and Member of the AU Panel of the Wise, H.E Dr. Pumzile Gloria Mlambo-Ngcuka at a recent election engagement in Liberia
It is equally understood that the meetings are assessing challenges for a peaceful, free, transparent and credible electoral process and preparations towards a poll that they could be proud of. The meeting between Jega and the ECOWAS Short Term Observers, it has been understood, took place in the presence of Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; Mr. Abdou Kolley, Director of the Cabinet of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador Josephine NKRUMAH, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Liberia, members of ECOWAS Parliament, member of the ECOWAS Permanent Representative Committee and member of the ECOWAS Council of Wise.
Warnings are going out against interfering in the electoral process. Rather, all those involved in administering the election are being told to use the skills and tools acquired through their training. And to, finally, make possible recommendations to improve the electoral process and the ECOWAS election observation mission.
Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah, while addressing the observers earlier, described the current political and electoral context under which the polls will be held. She further briefed the observers on the NEC’s deployment plan of electoral materials and security arrangement for forces on the ground.
Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of ECOWAS, expressed satisfaction with the high profile of ECOWAS Electoral Mission observers. While enjoining them to be objective and impartial in the course of the Mission, he urged the observers to submit timely report from their observation in the field to enrich the overall report of the Mission.
The 2023 presidential election could mark an African exception in a free and fair election just as it could follow a contrary route typically. It is still morning yet on creation day!
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