28 December 2017

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

George Weah Prepares to Go to ‘Drawing Board’ to Form New Government, Source: FrontPage Africa

This paper reports that Senator George Weah of the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), is very hopeful that he would be declared the winner of the 26 December presidential runoff. He’s already putting up a team “to go to the drawing board.” Weah lost one presidential election to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2005. In 2011, going as a running mate to Cllr. Winston Tubman, he lost another election to outgoing President Sirleaf whose Vice President, Joseph Boakai, he believes, is no match to him.

“We are making our decision today and you can see I am excited and I know that I am going to win because Liberians have resolved to make me their next President. My focus now is to make sure I come out of the election victorious. From there, I am going to get on the drawing board with my team and then we’ll put a plan together to move our country forward,” Weah told reporters just after casting his vote on Tuesday. Read More

NEC Gets Praises for Orderly Conduct of Election, Source: FrontPage Africa

In the aftermath of Tuesday’s presidential runoff election , the National Elections Commission (NEC) has been receiving plaudits by international observation missions and a large segment of the voting populace for the ‘orderly conduct’ of the just-ended runoff election between Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party (UP) and Senator George Weah of the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). Unlike the first round that was marred by allegations of fraud and irregularities that lead to series of legal challenges and delay in the runoff, the 26 December polls have been widely described as successful.

In its preliminary opinion on the runoff, the ECOWAS Commission Elections Observation Mission (EOM), headed by former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, the Commission noted that the processing of voters and the casting of ballots followed acceptable standards and were in accordance with the laws and procedures governing elections in the country.

Several voters expressed similar sentiments of the EOM. Speaking to FrontPage Africa, a cross-section of voters in Montserrado County expressed enthusiasms for participating in the runoff and hailed the electoral commission for conducting the polls in an orderly manner. Read More

Liberians await first presidential election results, Source: New DEMOCRAT

The New Democrat quoting ELBC radio correspondents says unofficial results overnight indicate that Senator George Weah of the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has led in several counties but election authorities warned the two parties – the ruling Unity Party (UP) and the CDC – to stop making a premature pronouncement. The paper said the results will be announced progressively by the National Elections Commission (NEC).

Election group warns against early celebration, Source: The INQUIRER

An election group, the Liberia Election Early Warning and Response Group has warned against early celebration as the National Elections Commission (NEC) concludes the final phase of the December 26 presidential runoff election. The group made the comment in a statement read by its chairperson peace ambassador, Rev. William Tolbert III. The statement said it was important for supporters of political parties to avoid celebration ahead of the official results to be announced by the electoral body.

Flogged UNMIL employee languishes in agony, Source: The INQUIRER

The paper reported that that the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has continued to ignore the health condition of one of its national staff, Dominic Howard who was reportedly beaten years ago by UNMIL Jordanian police. According to the paper, UNMIL authorities have refused to honor a court order issued since last year to take responsibility for the injury he sustained but that the mission has refused the order from the court.

Citizens Vote Out Lawmakers For not passing original version of LRA, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and FrontPage Africa

The media reports that senators seeking re-election in 2020 need to take seriously the threats some chiefs and traditional leaders have issued for setting aside the version of the Land Rights Act (LRA) passed by the House of Representatives and instead passing the original version of the law submitted to the Legislature in 2014. Chiefs and traditional leaders under the National Traditional Council of Liberia (NTCL) recently threatened to vote out senators who will concur with lawmakers in the House to pass the LRA

The Senate needs to act urgently on the chiefs’ request to avoid being booted out of the Legislature, as it has been established that during the October 10 elections, community leaders as well as youth and women groups, chiefs and traditional leaders canvassed against lawmakers who supported the September 2017 passage of the LRA. Read more

‘Replacing Justice Wright at ECOWAS Court is Challenging’ -Judge Kaba, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and The INQUIRER

Judge Yusuf Kaba has been named as Liberia’s representative on the Bench of the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria. Judge Kaba’s appointment to the position came about when Cllr. Wilkins Wright failed in his quest to convince the Supreme Court of Liberia to lift the 12-month suspension it had imposed on him from practicing law. Shortly after his appointment, Judge Kaba told journalists Wednesday at his Temple of Justice office that to replace Wright at the ECOWAS Court was a very challenging and difficult task to perform taking into consideration Cllr. Wright’s wealth of experience in the legal profession. Read more

USD10.7M Vehicle Debt Case Begins Today, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Daily Observer reports that after asking for a two-week postponement of the USD10.7 million vehicle debt case brought by Prestige and Alliance Motors against the Liberian government, the matter is expected to resume today Thursday at the Commercial Court. State lawyers asked for the two-week extension of the case to allow them to consult with relevant authorities on whether or not to pay the money before the expiration of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Administration, which ends in 19 days. Read more

Mobile Clinic Provides Free Treatment for Monrovia Central Prison Inmates, Source: FrontPage Africa

The CEO of Serene Health for All Mobile Clinic, Maima Dabah Quoi Pelham, has called for the availability of good health for prison inmates around the country. Madam Pelham described inmates as humans that deserve better lives and good health care while serving time at various correction centers in the country. 

She, however, urged the inmates to be good and learn from their mistakes that landed them (inmates) in prison, encouraging them to take care of themselves while in prison.  She spoke with inmates at the Monrovia Central Prison (MCP) when her organization provided them free medical care as a way of identifying with them during the festive season. More than 300 inmates were treated at the MCP for Christmas and New Year.  Varney Lake, MCP superintendent, praised the Serene mobile team for “their great help to the inmates”. Read more

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

Football legend, George Weah, set to become Liberia’s 25th president, Source: The Guardian

Dismissed as illiterate when he first contested in 2005, George Weah could become Liberia’s 24th president. The only African to have won the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, Weah looked set to beat his opponent, 72-year-old vice president, Joseph Boakai, clinching 12 of the 15 counties in the West African state. He has already claimed victory in a tweet saying: “It is with deep emotion that I want to thank you, the Liberian people, for honoring me with your vote today. It is a great hope. I am deeply grateful to my family, my friends, and my loyal supporters, who contributed to our campaign during this extremely long election season. We are on the verge of making history for our people.”

The country's National Elections Commission (NEC), however, is yet to make any official declaration on the outcome of the election. On its website yesterday, NEC said it would “on Thursday December 28 (today) begin the announcement of provisional results of the 2017 presidential runoff”. Read more

Too close to call in Liberia elections, Source: Euro News

Liberia's ruling Unity Party said the contest was too close to call in the presidential election. But his opponent's supporters claim to have taken the win. Former football star George Weah's camp said after listening to results announced on the radio from the polling stations that he was set to win the presidential election run-off against Vice President Joseph Boakai. Boakai's spokesman said he was optimistic even though it appeared to be a close race. Turnout on election day appeared much lower than the first round in October but people in the capital Monrovia expressed relief that the vote had gone smoothly after several candidates said the first round had been marred by fraud. Read more

Ghana gov't denies congratulating George Weah, Liberians await initial results, Source: Africa News

The government of Ghana has denied news that its president has congratulated George Weah for winning Liberia’s presidential runoff vote held on December 26. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Ghana’s information minister described the reports making rounds in local media and on social media as ‘fake news,’ stressing that the government was waiting for the elections body to declare official results. “We wish to state categorically that the President has made no such call, and we urge Ghanaians to disregard this false news. Just like the rest of the world, we will await the results of the run-off as declared by Liberia’s Electoral Commission,” the statement added.

Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC) says it will release provisional results from the polls later today, 28 December – two clear days after the close of polls. Its statement of Wednesday, 27 December said “it will on Thursday, 28 December begin the announcement of provisional results of the 2017 presidential runoff. Read more

Obasanjo to see to peaceful transfer of power in Liberia – UN, Source: Daily Post

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has announced that former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, will be going to Liberia to support the peaceful transfer of power to a democratically-elected president next Tuesday. Guterres announced this yesterday in New York through his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric. The Secretary-General also welcomed the peaceful conduct of the second round of the presidential election in Liberia.

Liberians on Tuesday voted in a second round of elections, deciding between Vice-President Joseph Boakai and George Weah. In more than 70 years, this would be Liberia’s first peaceful transfer of power from one democratically-elected leader to another. Read more

Disclaimer
This media summary consists of selected local media articles for the information of UN personnel. The public distribution of this media summary is a courtesy service extended by UNMIL on the understanding that the choice of articles included is exclusive, and the contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership. The inclusion of articles in this summary does not imply endorsement by UNMIL.

 

 

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