PHOTO: Police IG Gregory Coleman
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
The Liberia National Police says it has deployed over one thousand officers, ahead of By-elections in two of Liberia’s Counties—Nimba in the northeast and Grand Gedeh in the southeast.
According to the LNP over the weekend said that the deployment of the hundreds of officers in the areas are for Election Security (ES) in the two counties.
Next Tuesday, hundreds of thousands of registered voters in Nimba will be going to the polls to elect a Senator to replace former Senator who is now Vice President Jeremiah Koung. In Grand Gedeh County District #1, thousands will be voting to fill the vacant Representative seat left due to the death of their newly elected Representative Erol Madison Gwion after the October 2023 legislative election.
The two By-elections are being held in line with the Liberian constitution which makes it mandatory that by-elections are held no later than 90 days after such vacancies are declared by the Legislature. Lawmakers of the 55th Legislature were seated in January this year ahead of the January 22, 2024 inauguration of the new President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
Speaking during the briefing of Officers before deployment, Deputy Inspector General of Police for Operations, Atty., Nelson Freeman cautioned officers that election is one of the pillars of Democracy, and their performance in the field will determine whether or not democracy is achieved, a Police statement said.
Deputy Inspector Nelson further urged them to maintain neutrality in the discharging of their duties.
He said because their single action in the field can either take Liberia forward or plug this country into conflict. DIGP for Operations warned that if caution is not taken, a single action in the field can either take Liberia backward or plunge the Country into chaos.