Following the completion of the much-publicized biometric voters’ registration (BVR) process across the first six counties, the National Civil Society of Liberia (NCSCL) is craving the indulgence of the National Elections Commission (NEC) to extend of the process.
It could be recalled that eligible Liberian voters trooped to various registration centers across six counties from March 20, 2023 to April 9, 2023 to register as a first step to exercising their democratic franchise in ensuing 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
And with phase one of the process including, Gbarpolu, Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Margibi, Bassa, and Montserrado ended, phase two will begin today, Friday, April 21 to 11 May with the rest of the other nine counties.
However, NCSCL, which is the apex body of all civil society organizations in the country, wants an extension to the first six counties on grounds that several persons were left out either due to technical problem that occasioned the process or due to low publicity/CVE.
The BVR is a key step to the voting process as eligible Liberian voters get set to go to the poll on October 10, 2023 in consonance of Article 77(b) of the Liberian Constitution.
The Council in statement carved under the signature of its Chairperson Madam Loretta Alethea Pope-Kai, urged the NEC to provide additional time to the BVR owing to its significance of the entire electoral process.
The NCSCL had from the earlier stage of the registration called on Liberians of voting ages to turn out in their numbers to exercise their civil franchise; but there were many predicaments along the way and so the CSO Council wants these impediments to necessitate an extension.
NCSCL maintains that owing to the critical nature of political participation to the growth and development of the country, the Commission should see reason to give ample time that would allow Liberian voters take up the responsibility to form part of the ensuing political activities.
If the call is yielded to, the Council, at the other end of the coin, wants Liberian voters to join the process to firstly get register and to vote for the candidates of their choices as the impending elections are a test to the nation’s democracy.
On Elections Day, Liberian voters will troop at all 2,080 voting precincts or 5,911 voting centers to vote for a President/Vice President, 73 Representatives and 15 Senators, whose tenures of offices would expire.
“The National Civil Society Council hereby calls on the NEC to ensure that the process is holistic, participatory and void of interference. Therefore, we hereby call on the Commission to add at least a week or two for the BV,” the statement pointed out.
NEC is the body clothed with the responsibility to conduct all electoral activities for all elective public offices within the territorial confines of Liberia. At the same time, the Council also lauded all of the development partners for standing with and supporting Liberia does-far most especially the European Union (EU) and others for supporting the NCSCL
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