Liberian leader says ignore boycott call
Source: Agencies |
November 6, 2011, Sunday
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LIBERIA'S President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf yesterday called on voters to ignore a poll boycott ordered by her rival, saying the move was illegal and intended to intimidate Liberians.
Winston Tubman, the challenger in a presidential run-off vote due on Tuesday, said on Friday he would not take part in or recognize the results of the poll as the process was biased against him.
The boycott risks derailing Liberia's second post-war election, viewed as a measure of how far the mineral-rich nation has come since years of war ended in 2003.
The election commission has vowed voting will take place anyway but Tubman has called for his supporters to take part in a protest that was scheduled for late yesterday.
"Do not succumb to fear and intimidation. Do not allow any politician to hold our country hostage," Johnson-Sirleaf said in a radio address.
"Do not allow Mr Tubman to falsely claim boycott when what he is doing is forfeiting the rights of the finals because he fears defeat," she added.
Newly named Nobel peace laureate Johnson-Sirfleaf led after the first round with 43.9 percent of the vote and has since secured the support of third-placed former rebel leader Prince Johnson, who secured 11.6 percent. Tubman, a former United Nations diplomat who took 32.7 percent in the first round, has sought to have the election commission revamped in-between the rounds.
The election commission chief resigned as a result, but Tubman said the changes were not enough.
Winston Tubman, the challenger in a presidential run-off vote due on Tuesday, said on Friday he would not take part in or recognize the results of the poll as the process was biased against him.
The boycott risks derailing Liberia's second post-war election, viewed as a measure of how far the mineral-rich nation has come since years of war ended in 2003.
The election commission has vowed voting will take place anyway but Tubman has called for his supporters to take part in a protest that was scheduled for late yesterday.
"Do not succumb to fear and intimidation. Do not allow any politician to hold our country hostage," Johnson-Sirleaf said in a radio address.
"Do not allow Mr Tubman to falsely claim boycott when what he is doing is forfeiting the rights of the finals because he fears defeat," she added.
Newly named Nobel peace laureate Johnson-Sirfleaf led after the first round with 43.9 percent of the vote and has since secured the support of third-placed former rebel leader Prince Johnson, who secured 11.6 percent. Tubman, a former United Nations diplomat who took 32.7 percent in the first round, has sought to have the election commission revamped in-between the rounds.
The election commission chief resigned as a result, but Tubman said the changes were not enough.
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