The president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has said that her country’s democracy is under threat. It follows the decision by the country’s Supreme Court to halt the run-off presidential poll.
The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the country’s election commission to “urgently and expeditiously” probe the claims of “irregularities and fraud” made by the opposition Liberty Party.
Liberia’s Chief Justice Francis Saye Korkpor told a packed court in Monrovia that the elections can only take place when these allegations are investigated.
The Chief Justice faulted the election commission for going ahead with preparations for the run-off between former football star George Weah and Vice-President Joseph Boakai without addressing the complaint of the Liberty Party.
Brumskine of the Liberty party came third in the first round of poll but is challenging the credibility of the election results through the courts.
On Tuesday President Sirleaf said in a radio address that “Democracy is only as strong as its weakest link and at these moments, our democracy is under assault. Our country’s reputation is under assault, our economy is under stress.”
“Allegations, hate speech, inciteful language has been defining what should be a proud moment in our history. We politicians must do better … Historians will look back at this time and judge us by how we conduct ourselves at this critical moment in time.” She added.
The run-off was to be contested by the two leading candidates, former football star George Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai.
The ruling Unity Party is backing the legal challenge to the Liberian election results accusing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of interfering with election processes last month.
President Sirleaf who is African first democratically elected female president has denied the claims.
Source: Africafeeds.com
