Liberians Should Stride Toward Peaceful Democratic Election in 2023

Headquarters of the National Elections Commission

By Moiba Kortu (moiba.kortu@yahoo.com)

Election in the world is the act of choosing or being chosen, especially by secret voting. Elections make a major contribution to the self-governance of a state. This enables voters to elect leaders and to hold them accountable for their performances in public offices. 

The Nigerian general election was held on 25th February 2023, which saw the election of the President, Vice President and lawmakers of Nigeria. After the election, some countries in the world congratulated Nigerians for exercising competitive democracy. 

Despite growing tensions among political parties in that country, Nigerians successfully conducted their election and determined the next president without much disturbance. Nigeria’s election was a positive sign for the West African countries to emulate peace in elections to come.

Also in West Africa, general elections were held in Sierra Leone on 24th June 2023 to elect that country’s president and members of Parliament. About 3.4 million Sierra Leoneans voted in the general election. Despite sentiments expressed by some international organizations in Sierra Leone after the contested election result, there is calm in the country which is a progressive stride for this West African State. 

The international community has shifted its attention to the Republic of Liberia as Liberians will be going to presidential and legislative elections in a democratic manner on October 10, 2023 to elect the leaders of Liberia.

Democracy is defined as the government of the people, by the people and for the people. This means that there must be equality in exercising governmental function throughout the state for the people of Liberia. Democracy should work because citizens must be willing to engage with the relevant authorities of the state and create grassroots modification for better Liberia.

Voting is a method by which a group of electorates can convene together for the purpose of making a cooperative decision, expressing opinions usually followed by discussions, debates and election campaigns.

Voting is giving support together to an idea placed on the table by the people that will benefit the country as the will of the people. The idea of voting derived from worshiping deities or gods during early Roman Civilization. The word vote comes from a Latin word Votum.  This means a vow, wish, pledge, dedication and promise to their god. In other words, Romans pledged loyalty to their god and expected reward from their deity. 

Similarly, what we do during the voting in election is a promise to a standard bearer, senatorial and representative aspirants. For political reasons in a republican form of governance, they are promises to the leaders that we will cast our votes for them in order to be president, senator and representative respectively. 

What voters expect in return after expressing opinions are mentioned as the proposals on the table must be implemented for the benefit of all citizens and not only a political party. After the election, the citizens should receive what they expect, such as: full delivery of social services, security protection, training, capacity building, job opportunities and upholding the rule of law, among others. One of the most important rights of Liberian citizens is the right to vote or to exercise their franchise politically.

Sovereignty in elections is the power or authority of the people to vote. Liberia has been a sovereign nation in Africa since 1847. This means we are not and should not be controlled by any nation. Liberia is a sovereign nation or is an independent nation in West Africa. 

Sovereignty as a political power rests in each voter and not in the standard bearer of a political institution. In October this year, Liberians will surrender their sovereignty to the various presidential standard bearers and legislative aspirants with quality expectation upon taking the mantle of authority in this country. Sovereignty belongs to the people that are registered for the 2023 election.  

What should Liberians expect after the 2023 election? Liberians should be looking for the best attractive proposal on the table that is hoped for to shape the destiny of Liberia to a better level through commitment to work, honesty, accounting for what will be entrusted to officials of the state and obeying the rule of law of the country, which is paramount. 

In modern democracy, God does not choose a leader for a country. God will not choose a leader for Liberia. God will not come to rule Liberia. He has given us dominion as human beings over the territory of Liberia to elect our leaders. If Liberians will vote for the persons who is up to the task in this election, there will be no need to say tomorrow, let us pray to God for the leaders to do better. 

What God will do is to recognize the leaders as president and legislators of Liberia, respectively. Let us do the right voting in this election to move the state to the next expected level. Look at Liberia where she is now and compare the proposals of the candidates of parties x, y, z, in the overall, as we want to live in stability. This is the time we must vote wisely for our aspirations and visions as a nation. 

Voting gives people not only the opportunity to have their voices heard in elections, but to be part of national decision making process and feel the sense of belonging in Liberia as it is our civil duty. 

In every democratic election, there is a procedure of electing a person to that high office, called the secret ballot. The Secret ballot in elections is practiced in Liberia to prevent individuals from being influenced by other people or induced with money, but to protect his/her political privacy. The objective of the secret ballot is to achieve the most authentic result without any risk of peer pressure, threat, or influence to one’s vote.  The person’s vote is for his/her actual preferred superior over aspirants. 

There are lots of people who are feeling unwilling to vote in this coming election due to constraints and not considering their constitutional mandate in Liberia. However; your vote matters because each vote cast adds one to your candidate’s overall total. Every positive vote is a plus. Remember, you are not voting for yourself but for the nation Liberia. Citizens should be given the assurance by national leaders that elections will be free, fair and transparent that will add value to stability in Liberia. 

Liberians aged 18 years and above, with sound minds, are eligible to vote in the 2023 presidential and legislative elections, according to the organic law of Liberia — irrespective of education, tribe, religion, culture and background. This election is not about sports that we use for entertainment, but is about where the country will be heading after the 2023 elections. 

This election in Liberia serves as a self-actualizing purpose by confirming the value and dignity of individual citizens as human beings. Whatever other needs a voter has, participation in this election serves to strengthen one’s confidence and self-respect. 

Non-violence is a principle, a personal value system, or a way of life. Nonviolence in Liberia must be recognized, encouraged and maintained as a powerful strategy for partisans and nonpartisans during and after elections as patriotic citizens of Liberia. 

It is time for Liberians to begin building a nonviolent movement that is crucial to ensuring a successful transition from one power to the other by democratic means. Why should Liberians be nonviolent? We should be nonviolent to ensure a positive transition to the democracy that we are yearning for. If electorates, partisans and non-partisans in this 2023 election are nonviolent, it will be their contribution to stability in Liberia. 

Violence has left the state of Liberia fragile. So we should give democracy a chance and not jeopardize the peace process. I believe in nonviolence as a product of Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation, University of Liberia. 

The only way to a peaceful and successful election in Liberia is to make sure that the systems, policies and procedures at the National Elections Commission of Liberia are free from errors, fraud and there should be no foul play by any independent candidate or any institution that could endanger the electoral process.

If any party or independent candidate is aggrieved, the best way to go is to follow the legal process. Taking advantage of the legal process is the best alternative for Liberians. The results of this election should lead Liberians to credibility and not violence. Finally, there is peace in Nigeria. There is calm in Sierra Leone. The right to vote in the 2023 election as Liberians is fundamental to our country’s democracy and should be assured to every native of this land of liberty. Peace is the way forward in Liberia during and after this election.