UN urges Liberians to take part in upcoming poll

The UN Security Council has called on all actors in the Liberian presidential run-off to work together to ensure a successful completion of the electoral process.

The 15-member Council in a statement issued on Sunday, expressed deep concern over the refusal of the opposition candidate to participate in Tuesday’s presidential run-off elections, alleging that it would not be fair.

The opposition candidate Winston Tubman is pitted against the incumbent, Nobel Peace laureate Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

In the presidential election held on Oct. 11, Sirleaf had maintained a slight lead, but did not meet the requisite majority to be declared winner.

The call

The Council called on all Liberian stakeholders to exercise maximum restraint and work together to maintain confidence in the electoral process.

It also urged all parties to use existing appropriate national mechanisms to resolve any complaints about the elections.

It, however, expressed full support for the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in promoting dialogue in Liberia.

The Council concurred with the recent statement by ECOWAS urging all Liberian stakeholders “not to miss this historic opportunity of consolidating democracy and peace in the country.”

It also expressed support for the efforts of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in assisting the Liberian authorities, in accordance with its mandate.

The UN has maintained a peacekeeping force in Liberia since 2003 to bolster a cease fire agreement ending a decade of war that killed nearly 150,000 people, mostly civilians.

NAN/ Adekusibe/Ekata