By: H. Richard Fallah
MONROVIA: A veteran Liberian political scientist and intellectual, Dr. Alaric Tokpa, has accused the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) of doing everything possible to cheat in the 10, October, 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections.
Making Special Remarks during the 55th Birth Anniversary celebration of Grand Bassa County Senator, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, on Sunday, July 2, 2023, at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County, Dr. Tokpa, who is also Advisor to the National Campaign Team of the “Rescue Mission” of the former governing Unity Party (UP) did not, however, give detailed explanation as to how the governing CDC planned to steal the pending elections.
Tokpa who is also former Chairman of the Department of Political Science of the University of Liberia warned the ruling CDC, of which incumbent President George Manneh Weah is the Standard Bearer not to consider rigging the October 10 elections, as doing so will be against the will of Liberian people.
“Liberians are not willing to revert to any civil unrest especially that it did not help but hurt the country. We dont want war anymore in this country; we have fought a long war,” he noted. The Rescue Mission Advisor, cautioned opposition political leaders and ordinary citizens to do everything possible and peacefully to protect their votes. He, at the same time, called on supporters of the Unity Party and Joseph Nyuma Boakai (JNB) and Jeremiah Kpan Koung (JKK), alias JNB-Koung ticket not to be complacent but to move from door-to-door and interpret the message of Ambassador Joseph Nyuma Boakais Presidential bid and the importance of having a change of national leadership for genuine development and progress.
Meanwhile, responding to the allegations by Professor Alaric Tokpa against the purported plan by CDC to rig the October elections, a top official of the ruling party, who prefers not to be named for administrative reasons, described Mr. Tokpa’s claims as mere “political propaganda.”
The CDC Executive said such assertions by Professor Tokpa portrays “fear or scare tactics” from the angle of the Liberian opposition community.
“I think the professor and the others in the opposition are afraid. This is why they are looking for all means to start early blame-shifting and unnecessary accusations,” he asserted.
The CDC official indicated that it is not possible for the CDC to cheat or rig the October elections especially after the CDC-led government, headed by incumbent President Weah successfully conducted other elections in the past that were generally rated by arrays of local and international elections observers as peaceful, credible, free, fair and transparent.
“Look, President Weah is a peaceful man and therefore, he will not sit and allow anything to temper with the peace the country is currently experiencing, so let the Professor say something else,” he averred.
Few months ago, President George Weah assured United States President, Joe Biden, and the world in general that the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections in Liberia will be free, fair, transparent and credible.
The Liberian leader, making the commitment in a meeting with US President Biden at the White House in Washington DC, in December 2022, promised that his government will ensure that a conducive atmosphere is created for all to participate in the elections comes October 10, 2023.
In his remarks during the meeting, President Biden called on African Leaders including President Weah to ensure that elections in their countries are carried out in a free, fair and transparent manner.
The American Leader assured US’s continuous support to the advancement of democracy, rule of law, peace and security and development in Liberia and the continent of Africa.
In April 2023, President Weah along with other political party’s leaders signed the Farmington River Declaration 2023, which commits all stakeholders to peaceful and fair elections in October 2023.
