By Augustine Octavius
Liberians are celebrating their Christmas with a high anticipation of going to the polls many hours later on Tuesday for the delayed run-off election to vote a successor to Africa’s first elected female President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
According to the Liberian constitution, Sirleaf has until mid-January 2018 to hand over power to the next elected government.
If all goes well, this election will mark the first time since 1944 that one elected president will peacefully hand-over power to another elected president.
The runoff election is between the incumbent Vice President Joseph Boakai , the standard bearer of the Unity Party and Montserrado County Senator George Weah on the ticket of the Coalition for Democratic Change.
President Johnson Sirleaf will be stepping down after serving her constitutional two-term limit characterized with stability and economic challenges
The campaign, which ended mid-night last night (Sunday), went on peacefully.
Vice President Boakai campaigned on the platform promising infrastructural development especially roads, education and farming, promising to serve only one term.
As for Senator Weah, he focused on government taking responsibility for the fees for 12 graders in the West African Examination, an inclusive administration and improvement in the country’s health care delivery service.
Supporters of both parties ended their respective political rallies at the weekend with parties at homes and various entertainment centers across the country.
As the run-of election day was approaching, some supporters of the ruling Unity Party and the All Liberian Party of businessman Benoni Urey demonstrated, demanding the resignation of NEC’s Chairman, Cllr. Jerome Korkoya.
Ahead of the presidential run-off day, Police Inspector General, Colonel Gregory Coleman announced the deployment of the Election Security Task Forces comprising of the officers of the Liberia National Police, the Liberia Immigration Service and the Drug Enforcement Agency throughout the country.
Up to press time, some eligible voters have been complaining of not seeing their names on the final registration roll.
But the National Elections Commission has informed the public to contact the nearest NEC offices to address issues regarding their names.
Last Thursday, NEC issued a press release saying that all is now set for the presidential run-off elections, but the commission has not been able to adequately conduct voters’ education because of the court’s proceedings that followed the October 10 polls.
At the same time, the Elections Coordinating Committee, a civil society organization and Female Journalist Association have been airing voters education on radio stations in Monrovia and other parts of the country.
Already, thousands of local and international observers from the West African regional organization, the African Union, the European Union and the Elections Coordinating Committee have deployed thousands of election observers throughout the country.