• Security Council Press Statement on Elections in Liberia, Source: Relief Web
• UP, LP want Korkoya’s recusal in appeal, Source: The New Dawn
• CDC confronts critics of US, Source: The New Dawn
• Ellen: ‘I’ll Retire Gracefully, Remain Active in Society’, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• All Set to Turn Over to Next Administration For Continuation of Liberia’s Progress, Source: FrontPage Africa
• ‘Clear Stupidity’ …Ellen Refutes Owning Hospital In South Africa, Source: The NEWS
• Police IG Warns Public Against Hate Speech, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• Darkness over Liberia, Source: The New Dawn
• PUL Differs With Octavian Williams, Source: The NEWS

UP, LP want Korkoya’s recusal in appeal, Source: The New Dawn

Lawyers representing the governing Unity Party (UP) and the opposition Liberty Party (LP) have filed an appeal, seeking the recusal of the chairman of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Cllr. Jerome Korkoya, from their filed before the NEC board of commissioners. UP lawyer Benedict Sannoh, and Cllr. Powo Hilton of the LP content Korkoya’s earlier statement that the pieces of evidence produced by the two political parties are nothing but fake undermines his neutrality.

Sannoh and Hilton argued Wednesday at the NEC headquarters that Korkoya’s statement has already undercut the grounds of confidence and on such basis, it is very necessary that the chairman steps aside to allow the investigation on. According to them, failure of the NEC chairman to recuse himself, they would return to the Supreme Court to seek another legal redress. Read more

CDC confronts critics of US, Source: The New Dawn

The main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has described as hypocritical those criticizing the US government for calling for the holding of presidential runoff while alleged electoral frauds and irregularities are being investigated. The CDC at its headquarters in Monrovia Wednesday said those criticizing the US are very ungrateful to the US, taking into account the close relations, financial support and ties that have existed between the US and Liberia.

CDC vice chairman for operations and mobilization Mulbah Morlu says statements by critics of the US are acts of ungratefulness and ingratitude, stressing that many of the critics have families, properties, and investments in the US and their statements do not warrant attention. Read more

Ellen: ‘I’ll Retire Gracefully, Remain Active in Society’, Source: Daily OBSERVER

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says she cannot wait to see the end of the current electoral impasse and to see the runoff held so she may retire. President Sirleaf told the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) Wednesday that she hopes to retire honorably and be active in private life in the interest of Liberia and Africa.

Addressing a wide range of issues including completed, ongoing, and earmarked projects, the president said Liberians will miss her for her resolve to get the country’s broken system and infrastructure on the right trajectory. “The liberties (freedom of speech, press, etc) I have allowed and the construction of roads, as well as the improvement of the living standards of my fellow citizens through job creation, will make up my legacy,” she noted. Read more

All Set to Turn Over to Next Administration For Continuation of Liberia’s Progress, Source: FrontPage Africa

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says her government has made significant progress and is ready to turn over to a new administration to continue with the gains made under her 12-year leadership that will come to an end in January 2018.

In what appeared to be one of her final interviews with the media, President Sirleaf admitted that although her government would have wanted to do more than what it has achieved, the progress made is significant for the next administration to dwell on and move Liberia forward.

“I would have liked to have done much more, and we have plans to have done much more. But things are easier said than done. Things are easier planned than implemented because you run into constraints, you run into obstacles. I wish we had gone further. The limitations of resources, time and processes have not enabled us to do it. Development is a process; development doesn’t take place by pushing a button. It has a lot of implications and processes - the community, the freedom, and the relationship between workers. These processes will be hand over to another administration. The mobilization of resources is much more difficult than people think. When we don’t have enough resources from our own generating revenue potential we have to go and we have to arrange this and meet potential requirements. Contractual negotiation takes longer than people think,” President Sirleaf averred Wednesday in an exclusive interview with the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS). Read more

‘Clear Stupidity’ …Ellen Refutes Owning Hospital In South Africa, Source: The NEWS

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has termed as ‘clear stupidity’ rumors that she has a hospital in South Africa. In a live interview with the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) Wednesday, President Sirleaf said those who are spreading such rumors lack understanding about the system in South Africa because the system there cannot allow her to own a hospital there. The president said people should do better when they want to accuse her of something. She encouraged the media, NGOs, and others to investigate the matter to establish whether she owned any hospital in South Africa. Read more

Police IG Warns Public Against Hate Speech, Source: Daily OBSERVER

e Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gregory Coleman has warned Liberians who are constantly involved in broadcasting hate speech over electronic media, especially on social network sites, to immediately desist, or face the consequence. IGP Coleman said the police was forced to issue the warning after noticing the increase in hate speech with the ability to undermine the country’s peace and cause violence, which they cannot sit and allow it to continue.

“We have observed that some individuals are in the constant habit of misusing social and the electronic media to preach or promote hate messages. We condemn this behavior and urge those involved to desist right now. If these kinds of behavior continue, the police will start to arrest those who are involved in such acts. Currently, we have put in place security measures to monitor all of the activities on social media and that of electronic media. Although the country’s constitution guarantees freedom of speech, it doesn’t in any way mean that they should abuse it. Freedom of speech doesn’t require hate speech,” the IGP stated. Read more

Darkness over Liberia, Source: The New Dawn

A United Methodist prelate is urging women of the church to arise, alarming that darkness is over Liberia. Rev. K. Richard Tonnonlah, head pastor of the David Gueh Memorial United Methodist Church in Paynesville says politicians are using children of Liberia for ritualistic purposes to gain state power, while others are using them to insult those in authority and to get in the street.

“Women, arise and speak to Liberians to remain peaceful in this time of our nation as we are at the crossroad. If you failed to arise, the Lord will hold you responsible, if the children vote based on sentiment”, Rev. Tonnonlah cautions.

The call was contained in a sermon he delivered at the opening of the 29th Annual Session and 63rd Anniversary of the Monrovia District Women Conference of the United Methodist Church held in Paynesville recently. Read more

PUL Differs With Octavian Williams, Source: The NEWS

The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has distanced itself from a statement attributed to its vice president, Octavian Williams. Mr. Williams is quoted in the media branding the entire judiciary as a place of harassment, clampdown, depression, coercion, and intimidation of the media. According to a PUL statement, Mr. Williams’ pronouncement does not reflect the views of the PUL leadership. The deportment of Williams, the Union asserts, runs contrary to the functions of the Office of Vice President as provided for by the PUL Constitution.

“The views of the Press Union of Liberia on the outcomes of litigations involving journalists and other members of the public are treated on a case by case basis,” the release said. “It is grossly hotheaded to collectively condemn the entire Liberian Court System without an empirical analysis on the works of the court and the deportment of journalists,” the release quotes PUL president Charles Coffey as saying. Read more

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

Security Council Press Statement on Elections in Liberia, Source: Relief Web

The members of the Security Council congratulated the Liberian people and Government as well as political leaders, civil society organizations, and the media, for the peaceful conduct of October 10 presidential and House of Representative elections. They commended international partners and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for their support in elections preparation, and applauded the role of international, regional, and domestic election observation missions for their contributions to the transparency of the electoral process. They also commended Liberia’s National Elections Commission’s conduct of an expeditious tallying process and timely announcement of results.

The members of the Security Council commended the Government of Liberia, political parties, and the National Elections Commission for the use of established legal mechanisms to address complaints over the conduct of the October 10 election. The members of the Security Council called on Liberian claimants and institutions to resolve any disputes, including pending litigation, in an appropriate, fair, transparent, and expeditious manner with a view to permit the timely conclusion of Liberia’s electoral process and a peaceful transition of power to a new President in accordance with timelines outlined in Liberia’s Constitution. The members of the Security Council called upon leaders of all political parties to continue to refrain from incitement of followers toward any violent action.

The members of the Security Council noted the importance of a credible and peaceful second round presidential election and called upon Liberians to ensure the elections are free, fair, credible, and transparent, including through the full participation of women. The members of the Security Council reiterated that the responsibility for the preparation, security and conduct of free, fair and transparent elections rests with the Liberian authorities. They also reiterated their call on international partners to continue to support the Liberian authorities, including through deployment of international electoral observers, with a view to ensuring the credibility of the second round of elections.