Information Minister Ledgerhood J. Rennie has urged political parties as well as independent candidates in the recently held midterm senatorial elections and constitutional referendum to show love-for-country by maintaining Liberia’s peace and stability.
Rennie stated that elections will come and go “but at the end of it all when results are announced it is Liberia that wins”.
His comments come amidst the closure of polls on Tuesday which followed by claims and counter-claims of victory by political actors and candidates across the country – a situation if not put under control, could ignite into violence and disruption of the nation’s peace.
Rennie who spoke at the Ministry of Information regular press briefing held at the Ministry on Thursday, cautioned heads of political groupings in the country to take on the leadership role of ensuring that they control their supporters, partisans, sympathizers and well-wishers to be calm and give the National Elections Commission(NEC) an opportunity do its work.
He emphasized that regardless of who is pronounced winners by the NEC whether in the senatorial race or constitutional referendum “our focus is to move forward as a nation.”
The MICAT boss noted that leaders and supporters of the various political parties should stop all the inciting and ugly comments, and try to lower the rhetoric, because the people of Liberia need and deserve peace considering the negative impact of the civil war they experienced.
Rennie, however, commended all Liberians for the peaceful and orderly manner in which they turnout on 8 December to participate in the midterm senatorial elections and the constitutional referendum.
“Your show was exemplary and speaks of the fact that Liberia is beginning to consolidate peace and nurture democracy in a way that is enviable and of international standards regardless of some minor incident”, Rennie pointed out.
He Added: “we also want to use this occasion to say that let’s continue in this manner of peace and tranquility especially now that the votes are being tallied, collected and satisfied by NEC.
0ver 2.4 million eligible Liberian voters went to the polls on Tuesday to express their democratic franchise.
118 candidates are vying for 15 of the 30 senatorial seats while voters in Montserrado County District #9 and Sinoe County District #2 also voted simultaneously to replace their deceased Representatives (Munah Pelham-Youngblood and Jay Nagbe Sloh).
With 19 accredited political parties and 2.4 million registered voters, the National Elections Commission amidst logistical nightmares endeavored to ensure a timely delivery of voting materials to all 2,080 Voting Precincts and 5,911 Polling Places across the country, setting the stage for a credible process in the much anticipated 8, December polls.
Source: LINA