By Frank Sainworla, Jr. fsainworla@yahoo.com
The Liberia National Police has warned political parties against any public celebrations of victory, prior to the announcement of official results from the National Elections Commission (NEC), while the electoral body has maintained it’s the only constitutional authority to declare winner in elections.
Police Spokesman Sam Collins told the local media Tuesday evening that the LNP would not tolerate such a move and it must stop immediately, referring to reports CDC supporters were celebrating on the streets in some rural parts last night after polls closed.
CDC is the Coalition for Democratic Change of Senator George Weah, who faced incumbent Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party (UP) in the presidential runoff election on Tuesday, which passed off peacefully.
It’s widely feared that premature victory celebrations from any one of the contending political parties could spark violence.
But based on initial unofficial results coming from polling centers around the country, CDC’s executives made a late night announcement on the local Kings FM owned by Weah about a “victory” rally at the party’s headquarters in Congo Town, Monrovia.
Samuel Worzi, the chief of Public Relations of CDC called on all the party’s supporters to assemble at the HQ on Wednesday to celebrate their victory.
Referring to Weah as “president elect,” Worzi said “this is a CDC victory and a victory of the Liberian people.”
He claimed that the CDC presidential candidate “has begun receiving congratulatory messages” from African and world leaders as well as heads of international organizations.
At a news conference on Tuesday, NEC Chairman Cllr. Jerome Korkoya reminded all stakeholders and political parties that the Commission is the only institution of government cloth with the authority to release any result.
Meanwhile, unofficial initial exit poll results have begun to be reported by the local media overnight from across the country.
Some 2.3 million people registered to vote, but voter turnout appeared to be low.