Demands That UP’s Spokesman Mo Ali Publically Retract Claim Or Prove His Allegation
PHOTO: ECOWAS and Unity Party logos
By Our Staff Writer
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the main opposition Unity Party (UP) appears to be on a collision course, following serious allegation made by a top executive of the UP linking ECOWAS election observers to allegedly being financially induced, a claim yet to be independently verified.
ECOWAS is reassuring the Liberian people that its Observer Mission in the upcoming November 14 presidential run-off elections is completely neutral, as the sub-regional body debunks an allegation by UP’s National Campaign Spokesman Mo Ali that ECOWAS observers was financially influenced by the ruling CDC of President George Weah with US$150,000.00.
Incumbent President Weah is slated to face the presidential candidate of the UP next Tuesday, November 14 in a presidential runoff election, following the October 10, 2023 polls which did not produce an outright winner. Both men, who were the top two of twenty contenders, failed to get the constitutionally required 50% plus one vote on October 10. The CDC Standard Bearer is seeking a second six-year mandate after coming to power in January 2018.
In a statement issued today, Saturday, November 11, 2023 said:
“The ECOWAS Observer Mission to the Presidential election in Liberia has noted with regret, a reckless statement made by MO Ali, National Campaign Spokesperson of the Unity Party, on his Facebook post of November 10, 2023, stating that the ECOWAS Observer Mission had been influenced by USD 150,000 to declare a purportedly rigged election as transparent free and fair.”
ECOWAS has called on the leadership of the main opposition Unity Party of former Liberian Vice President to denounce Ali’s claim and it has threatened “to employ all necessary measures to hold him personally accountable for his utterance”.
BELOW IS FULL TEXT OF THE ECOWAS STATEMENT:
Press Release
ECOWAS OBSERVER MISSION RESPONSE TO STATEMENT MADE BY MO ALI (NATIONAL CAMPAIGN SPOKESPERSON OF THE UNITY PARTY)
The ECOWAS Observer Mission to the Presidential election in Liberia has noted with regret, a reckless statement made by MO Ali, National Campaign Spokesperson of the Unity Party, on his Facebook post of November 10, 2023, stating that the ECOWAS Observer Mission had been influenced by USD 150,000 to declare a purportedly rigged election as transparent free and fair.
The ECOWAS Observer Mission takes strong exception to this scurrilous statement, which puts at risk the safety and physical integrity of the ECOWAS Observers from across West Africa who have come to accompany the good people of Liberia in this pivotal election.
The ECOWAS Observer Mission calls on the leadership of the Unity Party to denounce the statement made by its National Campaign Spokesperson that seeks to denigrate the image of ECOWAS. The ECOWAS Observer Mission challenges MO Ali to prove this scurrilous accusation or publicly withdraw it immediately and tender an unqualified apology. Failing this, the ECOWAS Observer Mission and the ECOWAS Commission reserve the right to employ all necessary measures to hold him personally accountable for his utterance.
The ECOWAS Observer Mission urges all citizens of Liberia to deepen the positive outcome of the October 10, 2023 elections by remaining focused in living up to their civic responsibilities towards the November 14, 2023 Presidential run-off. In this regard, the ECOWAS Observer Mission counts on the people of Liberia to disregard such falsehoods perpetrated by individuals who may seek to derail the positive democratic gains made by Liberians.
The ECOWAS Observer M ission wishes to assure the good people of Liberia of its complete neutrality towards the contestants in the November 14 Presidential run-off poll. The Mission further reaffirms its total commitment to a credible, inclusive, and peaceful electoral process in Liberia, in accordance with its mandate under Articles 12 and 13 of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
Done in Monrovia, November 11, 2023
In his Facebook post on Friday, November 11, 2023, the UP Spokesman revealed that a meeting was allegedly held between the ruling CDC and ECOWAS election observers to discuss about the run-off election and its outcome.
In his post, Mr. Ali did not say where or when the said meeting was held.
SEE SCREENSHOT OF UP’S SPOKESMAN MO ALI FACEBOOK POST BELOW:
Meanwhile, campaigning for the presidential runoff election is due to officially end midnight Sunday, November 12, 2023.
According to the National Elections Commission (NEC), there are nearly 2.4 million registered voters in Liberia who are eligible to decide who will be Liberia’s next President come next Tuesday.