A presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election in Sierra Leone, Dr. Jonathan Sandy, has said that his country and the rest of West Africa have a lesson to learn from Liberia following the conclusion of the country’s 2023 presidential election.
He also commended the country’s electoral umpire, stating that the National Elections Commission has made Liberians proud.
Dr. Sandy said that despite the fact that the West Africa region was faced with undemocratic change of power, the people of Liberia have shown that democracy was the best.
“What can Sierra Leoneans and by extension, West Africa States learn from the people of Liberia? For me, it is about the preservation of the integrity of their national electoral process! Congratulations to the Political Leadership and people of Liberia,” Sandy said while reacting to the outcome of the presidential run-off election, won by opposition leader Joseph Boakai.
Dr. Sandy, the newly elected chairperson of the African Union Economic, Social, and Cultural Affairs (AU ECOSOCC) Peace and Security Sectoral Cluster, further said that the Liberian people have made him proud, adding that, “You have made us proud amidst the emergence of unconstitutional changes of government in our region. You have given us hope – electoral democracy renewed!
“And this stood out in two paragraphs in President Weah’s acceptance speech:
“‘Under my leadership, these elections were organized with a promise to the Liberian people – a promise of fairness, transparency, and credibility. I am proud to say that, for the most part, we have fulfilled that promise. The Liberian people have spoken, and their choice will be honored and obeyed.’
“At this juncture, I would like to congratulate the National Elections Commission for a job well done. You have earned the respect of all Liberians, our foreign partners, international observers, and the world at large for completing this difficult task to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, including the contesting parties,” Sandy added.
