The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) has observed that the political rally organized by the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) on February 4, 2023, is a campaign activity in flagrant violation of Section 12 of the National Elections Commission’s (NEC) Regulation on the conduct of political parties and coalitions.
The rally was characterized by wearing T-Shirts and printing banners depicting the picture of the President when the official campaign period outlined in the election timeline has not started. “This violation undercuts the principle of a “level playing field” required for the conduct of a fair and credible election,” the ECC observed.
The ECC further observed that days leading to the rally, the CDC erected billboards that displayed the picture of the President in various parts of Monrovia, and that NEC, has failed to take any action in keeping with Section 12 of its Regulation. The failure of the NEC to enforce its regulation sets a dangerous precedence and undermines its neutrality as an independent Election Management Body (EMB).
In another development, the ECC is deeply concerned with the statement made by Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor describing most election magistrates as ‘corrupt.’
The ECC is therefore calling on the Vice President to provide evidence to prove her assertion against the magistrates because the magistrates need to be rotated or be changed.
The ECC pointed out that the Vice President, has no authority to call on the NEC to rotate or to change any election magistrate because the Vice President’s statement is an attempt to interfere in the operations of NEC and undermine its independence.
“We call on the NEC to resist any form of external control and influence from pollical parties or those holding public office. The pre-campaigning activity and attempt to influence the NEC are early warning indicators of challenges ahead of the October 2023 elections,” the ECC stated.
