By Alfred Kollie
During the recent presidential election campaign, Liberian Muslims were divided over whether or not to endorse candidates in the political race.
But now with the results of the election out and the winner declared by the National Elections Commission (NEC), Liberia’s Islamic community have joined many voices and both local and international institutions to congratulate the winner.
And that winners are President elect, George Weah and Vice President-elect Jewel Howard Taylor, who is becoming Liberia’s first ever elected female Vice President.
The Islamic community is represented by the National Muslims Council of Liberia, the National Imam Council of Liberia and Muslim Elders Supreme Council for Empowerment and all Muslim organizations across Liberia.
“In obeying the spiritual order, the Muslim Community of Liberia have the strong convection, and considered it as a sacred obligation and profound sense of national duty, to sincerely commend the architects of the just ended general elections (October 10, and December 26, 2017) run-off,” a statement from the Muslim Council said on Wednesday.
Sheik Akibu Sheriff, the Secretary General of the National Muslims Council of Liberia told a news conference that it is time that the Muslims in Liberia give thanks and adoration to the Almighty Allah for his continuous mercies bestowed on Liberia and its people.
He praised the peaceful conduct of the October 10, 2017 presidential and parliamentary elections and the just ended Presidential run-off election has been termed by all as inclusive, peaceful, and democratic.
‘’By this, Liberians have once again demonstrated not only love of nationhood, but also political maturity and tolerance which is unprecedented in the past three decades,’’ Sherik Sheriff explained.
‘’We seize this medium to extend our heartfelt congratulations, We believed this is a clear sign that Liberians and residents have welcomed the wave of democratic changes moving around the world in the best interest of participatory democracy,’’ Sheik Akibu Sheriff noted.
According to the Muslims leader, their decisions were directed by the Almighty Allah noting that leadership is ordained by Allah at any given time at such everyone should abide by law the guard the country.
‘’ We hold firm to the belief that a new chapter has opened in the political and social life of Liberia in a way that those things that were done in the past will now be conducted in a more refined manner for the betterment of the state as a whole and not a selected few he noted.
He wants the president elect Ambassador George Weah to be responsive to the plight and needs of the people, noting that the new political dispensation will remove all negative barriers including religious discrimination, tendencies towards tribal and ethnic hegemony, sectionalism, nepotism and all other types of parochial and elemental divisions which tend to divide us as a nation.
‘’we pledge our loyalty and support and express our willingness to work hand in hand with the newly elected government under the leadership of President Weah to make the new political venture practicable and worthwhile in the life of the people of this nation as required by the teaching and practices of Islam and the rule of Law of this nation. Any deviation to betray the cause will not be in the best interest of the nation,’’ he said in a statement.
The Muslim leader however recognized and congratulated his Excellency Ambassador Joseph Nyumah Boakai, vice president of the Republic of Liberia, as the greatest winner and a real compatriot.
‘’For never before in our political dispensation has a looser in the presidential race congratulated his compatriot even before the final announcement of results, Your indelible record will live in the annals of the Liberian history to be remembered by generations yet unborn,’’ according to the National Muslim Council of Liberia.
He however challenged the president elect George Weah to work with open minds and hearts with the Executive and Judiciary branches of government in the best interest of all Liberians devoid of prejudices, self-aggrandizement and undermining national development.
‘’We as representative of our community, would also like to congratulate the leaders and members of all of the political parties that participated in the electoral process since October 10, to the December 26, 2017 for allowing and stage managing a violence-free elections, even when there were eminent and pressing danger of disruption of the entire exercise as evidenced by few skirmishes of suspicion on claims of electoral irregularities and fraud which prompted the stay order by the Supreme Court to allow investigation and peaceful settlement of the matter’’ he said.
The Muslim Leader also commended the work of the outgoing president of the Republic of Liberia Madam Ellen Johnson Sirlesf for creating the enabling environment for Liberia to conduct peaceful, inclusive and non-violent national elections.
The group at the same time calls on all to continue their support to the new government and continue the peaceful conduct in resolving all national and domestic problems across the country.