Former Vice President of the Press Union of Liberia Daniel Nyakonah has condemned the September 21, 2024 election terming it as Undemocratic.
In an official statement released by Mr. Nyakonah on Monday September 23, 2024, he said he is appalled by how an institution that champions integrity in democracy and governance has gone ahead to conduct an election with one-sided candidates at the omission of several members of the institution, including possible candidates, adding that the elections did not demonstrate a contest.
“We are saddened that Mr. Peter Quaqua and his team proceeded with the elections despite dissatisfaction over the omission of additional intentional candidates, and for maintaining us on the ballot after we made it public that we were not interested in moving forward with the electoral process as candidates for the forward march and peace within the union since the last disputed election”, he noted.
The former PUL Vice President stressed that he is particularly concerned because as a conglomeration of journalists and media bodies, society expects their elections to be underlined by integrity, impartiality, fairness, and objectivity; given that these are values, journalists champion and expect to see at the national level.
Accordging to him, What transpired during Saturday, 21 September 2024 gathering grossly fell short of these values and undermined every democratic principle.
” This is a shame to the journalism community in Liberia. We must uphold the highest standards of accountability and fairness that we aspire to see in other elections, including national elections , sadly, this “PUL election” is the contrary of what defines democracy and moreover,
We are dismayed about the interim leadership’s decision to seek legal interpretations from a judge outside of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court, which had previously ruled on the longstanding election impasse”, he further explained.
Nyakonah emphasized that the action by the interim leadership presented Mr. Quaqua and his team as agents of deeper divisions within the Union.
He claimed that the interim leadership efforts did nothing to put an end to the internal rigmarole within the PUL but were rather fixed on alledgelly making Julius K. Kanubah president of the Union.
Speaking further he indicated that their alleged action demonstrates their desperation to produce leaders of the union even in unconventional, unprofessional, and unfair manners.
“The most troubling and shameful action of the interim leadership was our inclusion on the ballot, even though we openly and officially rescinded our candidacy several weeks before 21 September 2024 in order to restore peace and for the forward march and development of the union. Additionally, the omission of former leaders; Charles B. Coffey, Jr. and Musa Kenneh from the voters’ roll also represents the depth of unfairness that characterized what was supposed to be an election”, he noted.
Moreover, he claimed that the deliberate action of silencing dissenting voices in an organization that has historically championed democracy in Liberia is unproductive.
Daniel pointed out that the Press Union of Liberia has long been recognized as a vital institution for promoting press freedom and safeguarding the rights of journalists.
However, the 21 September 2024 elections, he said epitomize the level at which integrity, and objectivity have been allegedly compromised in the PUL under the leadership of Peter Quaqua, Frank Sanworla, Tom Winston Mombo, and their associates, This is sad, and we condemn it to the core”, he blasted.
Written By: Mark Mengonfia
