• President Sirleaf Receives Guinean, Togolese Leaders at Political Stakeholders Meeting, Source: FrontPage Africa
• ECOWAS, AU Intervene in Electoral Standoff, Convene emergency meeting with major political stakeholders in Monrovia, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• President Sirleaf Asked to stay above the Fray in Liberia’s Election, Source: FrontPage Africa
• November 7 Runoff “Does Not Look Possible,” Says Korkoya, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and FrontPage Africa
• Panic in Liberia as Supreme Court halts presidential run-off, Source: Ripples Nigeria
• Liberia court orders halt to runoff vote, Sources: AP and The Mercury

President Sirleaf Receives Guinean, Togolese Leaders at Political Stakeholders Meeting, Source: FrontPage Africa

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has received in audience the AU chairman, President Alpha Condé of Guinea and Togo President Faure Gnassingbé, chairman of the Authority of Heads of State of ECOWAS. President Sirleaf received her colleagues at the Roberts International Airport in Margibi County and held tête-à-tête in the presidential lounge at the airport.

Following the formalities at the airport, the Liberian leader opened a one-day political stakeholders’ meeting at the Boulevard Palace in Monrovia involving major players in the just-ended October 10 elections. President Sirleaf briefed her colleagues on the state of Liberia’s electioneering process, a successful first round coupled with a scheduled runoff.

She further informed the chairs of the AU and ECOWAS during Wednesday’s meeting that the transition remains on course and noted that the process must be concluded in time for her to turn over to a successor.

Sirleaf reminded political leaders at the meeting of their commitment to the Farmington Declaration in the presence Presidents Condé and Gnassingbé. The president noted concerns expressed regarding irregularities during the first round and said the appropriate channels are being used to handle whatever the concerns.

President Sirleaf enjoined the AU and ECOWAS chairmen to listen to the various concerns and bring their expertise to bear on the table with a view to resolving those issues; cautioning the need for aggrieved parties to bear in mind that Liberia is the only country that they have and the peace of this nation should be sustained at all cost. Read more

ECOWAS, AU Intervene in Electoral Standoff, Convene emergency meeting with major political stakeholders in Monrovia, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Daily Observer reports that the AU and ECOWAS are making frantic efforts in resolving the political impasse that has gripped Liberia since the release of the results of the October 10 elections.

The chairman of ECOWAS, President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo and his AU counterpart President Alpha Condé of Guinea, early Wednesday morning arrived in Liberia to meet with major political stakeholders to help quiet down the growing tension in the ongoing electoral stalemate in the country.

The two African statesmen were received upon arrival at the Roberts International Airport by President Ellen Jonson Sirleaf and were taken straight to a local resort in Monrovia where they began immediate closed-door interactions with leaders of political parties in the ongoing electoral process. Political leaders invited at what could be termed as the Monrovia peace conference were Cllr. Charles Brumskine of the Liberty Party (LP); Senator George Weah of the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC); Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party (UP); Mr. Alexander Cummings of the Alternative National Congress (ANC); Benoni Urey of the All Liberian Party (ALP); and Senator Prince Johnson of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) who was absent from the meeting.

The team also met with top officials of the National Elections Commission (NEC) its chairman, Cllr. Jerome Korkoya and the full bench of the Supreme Court.

The growing political tension in the country between some political parties, especially the LP and the NEC has led to calls for the dissolution of the NEC board of commissioners and the removal of its chairman.

President Sirleaf is also being accused of interfering with the electoral process. But the President has since rubbished the claims, terming her accusers as “agent provocateurs.”

President Condé said it could not have been a better time to intervene and help keep the peace in the country. In a brief chat with the media immediately following the closed-door meeting with the stakeholders including political party leaders, President Condé said with the prevailing tension on the ground, it was necessary indeed for them to come and see how they could intervene in bringing the situation under reasonable control. He disclosed that all of the parties have agreed to follow the legal path to resolve any problem that might have come out of the electoral process….

The Guinean president who also chairs the AU said, “We have convened here to see how the stability in our region can continue. With the tension that is brewing after the October 10 elections, we found it very necessary to come here to meet with these political stakeholders.” He disclosed that all of the stakeholders involved in the political impasse have agreed to seek resolution through the legal system. “They all have agreed to go through the court,” the AU chairman said.

President Condé continued: “Upon our arrival here, we spoke with them and everyone has told us his/her mind. All of those we have spoken to have admitted irregularities during the elections. So we want to see how the Supreme Court, the NEC, the Diplomatic Corps the religious leaders can somehow intervene in solving this problem.”

“We want to ask the NEC to solve many of those problems that were observed during electoral process and other problems that cannot be resolved can go through constitutional reform. Peace and tranquility are essential to our region,” he added and noted “Our Sister, the President, must stay above the fray,” Condé said of President Sirleaf who has been accused by her own party of meddling and manipulating the electoral process. Read more

President Sirleaf Asked to stay above the Fray in Liberia’s Election, Source: FrontPage Africa

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been asked by the chairman of the ECOWAS and the chairman of the AU, Presidents Faure Gnassingbé and Alpha Condé not to get involved with the current electoral contention in the country. The two African leaders flew to Monrovia Wednesday morning to mediate peace talks between the heads of political parties, the National Elections Commission (NEC), the Supreme Court, and other stakeholders in the electoral process. The meetings were held at Boulevard Palace in the capital.

Speaking through an interpreter at the end of the meetings, Guinean President Alpha Condé said “We are concern about what happened during the aftermath of the elections in Liberia, we found it necessary that it was our duty to identify with our brothers and sisters in Liberia, listen to them, analyze the situation and also we consulted with the with the diplomatic corps, the election commission, the supreme court and the Inter-Religious Council.”

President Condé said from the discussions, all stakeholders involved in the electoral process acknowledged that there were irregularities. “Everybody is aware that there were some mishaps during the elections."

The AU chair continued: "The Elections Commission said there were some lapses, the Supreme Court also acknowledged that there were some irregularities, the diplomatic corps also said there were some irregularities as well as the inter-religious council. So we’ve asked the NEC to do all it can to solve these problems so that all the lapses can be corrected. Since it’s already a commission, let it remain a commission.”

He said while the NEC has been urged to solve some of the irregularities that have been acknowledged, not all would be solved by the electoral body rather through constitutional reforms. Condé said they reminded the Supreme Court of its delicate responsibility during this electoral process and further urged political parties to address their contentions through the legal system. Read more

November 7 Runoff “Does Not Look Possible,” Says Korkoya, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and FrontPage Africa

The National Elections Commission (NEC) has accepted to abide by the Supreme Court’s order calling for a stay order on all ongoing elections processes pending the announcement of final rulings into the case between the Commission and the Liberty Party (LP).

Addressing journalists Wednesday at a press conference at the Commission’s headquarters in Monrovia, the NEC chairman, Cllr. Jerome Korkoya said his office has ordered the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the ruling Unity Party (UP) to put halt to all their campaign activities for the runoff pending a ruling from the Supreme Court in the October 10th alleged electoral frauds case filed by the LP.

On request of the LP, the high court has issued a Writ of Prohibition ordering the NEC to stop all preparations for the November 7 presidential runoff election. “The NEC, in line with this order, will follow the court’s instructions. This means all activities in preparation for the presidential runoff election are suspended and will not be resumed until the court orders otherwise,” Cllr. Korkoya said.

The NEC chairman noted further that from the loss of Wednesday, 1 November as one of the NEC’s working days, means that the November 7 date set for the runoff presidential election does not look possible.

On status update, Korkoya said “Prior to the Supreme Court Order, election preparations were on track. Ballot papers arrived as scheduled on October 28 and packing has been ongoing and ballot papers and other sensitive materials were being prepared and dispatched to centers across the country,” he noted, adding that parts of the shipments of materials had already arrived in Maryland, Grand Kru, River Gee, and Grand Gedeh at the time of the order.

“Today shipments were scheduled for the remaining materials to Maryland and River Gee as well as Lower Nimba, Margibi and Upper and Lower Bong but these are suspended, and in some cases, they were recalled back to the warehouses as they were en route,” he said. Cllr. Korkoya added that today’s deliveries were scheduled for Bomi, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, and Sinoe as well as parts of Montserrado but they are also suspended.

Considering claims regarding the integrity of the October 10 polls, Korkoya said inasmuch as there were challenges, the Commission is in no way guilty of any fraudulent electoral practice. Read more

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

Panic in Liberia as Supreme Court halts presidential run-off, Source: Ripples Nigeria

There is panic in Liberia after the presidential run-off scheduled for November 7 was halted by the Supreme Court following allegations of fraud by a losing candidate who claimed the first round of results were rigged.

Charles Brumskine of the Liberty Party who came third in the first round of elections is contesting the outcome of the election result which saw George Weah emerge the front-runner with 39%, while his closest opponent, Vice-President Joseph Boakai came second with 29%.

That outcome set up a Nov. 7 run-off between Weah, a former soccer star and Vice President Boakai which has now been halted by the Supreme Court until it considers a challenge to the results. Read more

Liberia court orders halt to runoff vote, Sources: AP and The Mercury

Liberia's Supreme Court has ordered a temporary halt to preparations for next week's runoff presidential election as it awaits a hearing on complaints alleging voting irregularities. The Supreme Court said representatives of the National Election Commission and those who filed complaints should appear before it Thursday. The court emphasizes this is not an annulment of the October 10 election.

Third-place candidate Charles Brumskine is leading a petition by other candidates and his Liberty party that alleges irregularities in the election's first round. Vice President Joseph Boakai, who is set to face George Weah in the November 7 runoff, has said he supports the complaint though he is not directly listed. Read more

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