By: Stephen G. Fellajuah
Email fellajuahstepheng@gmail.com
Opposition Vision for Liberia Transformation (VOLT) Political Leader Dr. Jeremiah Z. Whapoe, has said that the video that recently trended on the social media which alleged that the government of Liberia had planned to rig the 2023 presidential and legislative elections, is true.
The VOLT Political Leader has termed the information contained in the video as truth, factual and has raised alarm that all should be concerned about it.
Dr. Whapoe made the statement during an on Thursday, September 22, at VOLT national headquarters on the Old Road, when he said that he believed the information in the video revealed the truth, because the government of Liberia for the past time and months has been displaying potential indicators of ‘rigging’ the election in the ruling party favor.
‘’As a professor of research and from my own understanding with what is happening on the ground from the various speeches, I can say that the video is not fake because the information containing in the video is real and we are seeing the reality around us here’’ Dr. Whapoe expressed.
He particularly mentioned that the action of President of Liberia, George Manneh Weah to call the Senate to an emergency session to make law to replace all elections magistrates across the country is a potential indicator that they want to rig the elections.
Furthermore, he pointed out government has printed eight billion Liberian dollars which is not circulating on the market and further said the money only on the market when the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change is having activities, is also an indicator, according to Whapoe.
Additionally, he said that for the Armed Forces of Liberia to be sending strong caveat ahead of 2023 that the Army will not sit and watch the country democracy be derailed, adding that the ruling CDC to also thing about training thugs in Lofa as militants further indicates rigging of the elections.
Over the weekend the Liberian Government through the Ministry of Justice announced that its attention was drawn to a malicious video being circulated on social media, which makes erroneous and incendiary claims about the state of affairs in the country.
“While the recent uptick in political activities ahead of general and presidential elections is understandable, “no amount of desperation should lead us to toy with our security. This is very wrong, and could potentially damage the country’s stability and international reputation.”, the Acting Chair of the Cabinet, Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean has said.
The justice minister therefore engaged Liberia’s international partners, including the heads of the Embassies of the U.S. and European Union, calling on them to vehemently condemn the dangerous and inciteful ploy which seeks to undermine Liberia’s hard-earned peace.
Minister Dean warned that engaging in false news with a clear intent to incite and create agitation in the general population is against the law; and therefore, anyone found fermenting or sponsoring activities intended to create chaos could face the full weight of the law.
The video not only cast aspersions on our enviable electoral system – which has gained much international acclaim recently – it also dangerously posited that the government is bringing in the country nefarious elements intended to create violence, the Minister said.
At the same time, the International Community has distanced itself from a fake news video circulating on social media which suggests that the Weah regime is bent on rigging the impending 2023 general and presidential elections.
“We strongly condemn any attempt to link the International Community with these allegations which could threaten and undermine national security. We stress that those responsible must be held accountable. We once again remind all political and media stakeholders of their responsibility to refrain from hate speech, disinformation, and violence, especially in the run-up to the 2023 elections.
The International Community in Liberia wishes to reaffirm its continued commitment to peace and stability in Liberia,” a message sent by the United Nations Residence Coordinator on behalf of the International Community.
Meanwhile, the Liberia National Police and the National Security Agency o Liberia has launched joint investigation to that those responsible for said video are made to face the full weight of the law, adding that the video contain barrage of information of that border on national security invoking terrorist group operations in Liberia.
