President George Manneh Weah says he will respect the democratic will of the Liberian people and reiterated his unwavering pledge to conduct free, fair and transparent elections in October.
The President said that most significant of this election is that it will be the first to be primarily organized and administered by Liberia, since the drawdown of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in 2018.
He added, “As you may be aware, I have continuously reaffirmed my commitment to free, fair and transparent elections, and I remain committed to that pledge.”
“This is our moment, therefore, to continue to demonstrate to the world that we are a peace-loving nation, and that we are capable and ready to undertake elections that include all Liberians in a free and credible process; not only will our individual patriotism be put on trial, but our institutions of democracy will also be tested. I am of the strongest conviction that this is a test that we can and will pass,” President assured.
The Liberian leader made these statements on Monday, January 30, when he delivered his 6th and final State of Nation Address at the Capitol Building.
“I need not belabor you with accounts of how much we have all been through as a People during these two centuries, including wars, pestilences, and economic setbacks and downturns. But together, we have remained strong and progressive, and have managed to always emerge triumphant and united, through and after every trial and tribulation, regardless of our ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, or political affiliations,” he said.
“As your President, I have made it my overarching purpose and duty to work towards preserving the peace of this nation, ensuring always that we do not slide back into conflict. This has been the fundamental underpinning of all development and policy initiatives of my administration,” he said.
According to him, “The record will show that we have achieved undeniable success in this endeavor, while at the same time always ensuring that there is strict adherence to the rule of law, and protection for the constitutional rights of our citizens, as we consolidate our democracy and develop our nation.”
“Our well-earned credentials as a nation of peace and democracy in West Africa will be put to the test in about nine months from today, when we head to the polls for the General and Presidential Elections. These will be the fourth elections since the end of the war in 2003, and they will be an important benchmark for judging the extent of the consolidation of peace in our country,” Weah reminded.
However, President Weah used the occasion to thank our partners, chief among them, Sweden, Ireland, ECOWAS, the EU, the UNDP, and the UN Peace-building Fund -for their technical and financial assistance to the electoral process, and for their partnership and collaboration to support the National Elections Commission, political parties, other national institutions, and civil society organizations, to be ready for this defining moment in our history.
