Press Release
Monrovia- ECOWAS has deployed Long Term Election Observers (LTOs) to continue monitoring the critical stages of the 2023 Presidential Election Run-off in Liberia scheduled for November 14, 2023, says .
Made up of experts in Elections Administration, Political Affairs, Gender and Civil Society, Constitutional Law, Security and the Media, the LTOs who were deployed in the country from 11th September to 18th October for the October 10 polls will continue their assignment as an early warning mechanism for preventive diplomacy.
The Long-Term Observation Mission (LTOM), headed by Mr. Serigne Mamadou KA, Ag. head of the Electoral Assistance Division has been deployed to several Counties in Liberia from 7th November.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, approved the deployment of LTOs under provisions of Articles 12 to 14 of the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance as assistance to Member States holding elections.
The elections experts will be reinforced on 9th November by 80 of their short-term colleagues drawn from the ECOWAS Council of the Wise, ECOWAS Parliament, Community Court of Justice, States’ Foreign Ministries, Electoral Management Bodies, and Civil Society Organisations. Prof Attahiru Jega, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Nigeria, who led the combined observation Mission deployed across Liberia’s 15 counties, including the national capital Monrovia, will lead the ECOWAS Observation Mission (EOM) for the Run-off.
Twenty presidential candidates contested the October 10 presidential and legislative elections, which were generally free, fair and transparent. President George Weah, seeking a second six-year mandate, garnered 804,087 votes, representing 43.83 per cent. In contrast, his closest contender, former Vice President Joseph Boakai, came second with 796,961 votes, representing 43.44 per cent. The two will be contesting the Run-off on November 14.
The Mission will issue a Preliminary Declaration within 48 hours after the elections, followed by a detailed Final Report on its observations.