Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has called for a free and fair election ahead of the Boxing Day Presidential run-off in Liberia, advising the two presidential candidates to be ready to accept the result of the elections in the interest of peace.
Jonathan is currently on election duty in Liberia as the co- leader of the delegation of the United States’ National Democratic Institute (NDI) International Elections Observation Mission to Liberia’s presidential polls.
The run-off election is being contested by the ruling Unity Party candidate and current Vice President, Joseph Nyumah Boakai, and the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) candidate, ex football international, George Weah.
A statement issued by Jonathan’s media adviser, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, said the former President, alongside Atifete Jahjaga, former President of Kosovo and other NDI leaders met separately with both Weah and Boakai urging them to appeal to their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully during and after the polls.
He also urged the National Electoral Commission and security outfits to play their roles, to ensure a peaceful, inclusive and transparent electoral process urging Liberians not to do anything that could jeopardise the post-war peace in the land.
“In any election, there are winners and losers. Only one presidential candidate will be declared winner,” he said.
“The other should accept the election results to avoid a political crisis, especially if there are no good grounds to challenge the outcome.
“The economy of Liberia will benefit immensely from a positive and peaceful outcome, as a free and fair process would go a long way in reassuring investors that the country is now safe for lasting investment.
“If the election fails it means Liberia has failed, it also means that Liberia has failed West Africa and failed the entire Africa.”
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