West African regional bloc ECOWAS has warned Liberian politicians against "premature " declaration of victory in the November 14 presidential run-off.
Liberians were returned to the polls after none of the presidential candidates got more than 50% of the votes on October 10, 2023 elections.
Former international football star George Weah, who is the incumbent, garnered 804,087 votes (43.83%), while opposition candidate Joseph Boakai got 796,961 votes (43.44%), Liberia's National Elections Commission said on October 24.
In a statement signed jointly by the Head of ECOWAS Election Observation Mission to Liberia Attahiru Jega and Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Abdel-Fatau Musah, the regional body expressed "deep concern over provocative statements and alleged planned conferences by political actors to prematurely declare victory in the ongoing electoral processes."
Action against violators
"The mission appeals to the candidates, political parties and their supporters and all stakeholders to exercise maximum restraint and patiently await the official declaration of the results of the elections by the National Elections Commission (NEC), which is the sole organ mandated by law to do so," ECOWAS said on Wednesday.
The regional bloc warned of lawful action against people who would engage in post-election malpractices.
"The ECOWAS Commission wishes to warn individuals or groups that they would be held solely accountable for any acts that may lead to violence and undermine the hard-earned peace and stability of Liberia."
Liberia's electoral agency has up to two weeks to announce the results of the presidential run-off.
