By Taisiah K. Merfee
IPNEWS: A chaotic scene on Thursday, February 9, 2023, erupted on Capitol Hill when legislative security guards dragged a local activist and critic of the Government of President Weah for tearing down campaign posters of the President and Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor in on the grounds of the Capitol Building, home of the National Legislature.
Activist Ranner McClain’s shirt and trousers, according to an Independent Probe reporter that was on the scene, were torn up as he tussled with the legislative security guards.
Our reporter said activist Ranner and the security guards were in the tussle for nearly five minutes until he was subdued and thrown out of the Capitol’s premises.
The President and Vice President’s campaign materials are placarded on the grounds of the Capitol Building.
Activists McClain also tore down the campaign banners of opposition politicians and presidential aspirants, Joseph Boakai of the former ruling Unity Party and Alexander Cummings of the Alternative National Congress or ANC.
Activist McClain’s action was an apparent protest to the ruling CDC and others premature activities.
Activist McClain has accused members of the Legislature of being both lawmakers and law breakers for allegedly condoning the CDC and others’ premature campaign activities in violation of the elections laws of the Country.
McClain said if members of the Legislature do not know their function, he will use the radical means to educate them by bringing down the giant size campaign billboards of the President.
“Premature campaign activities do not mean well for post war Liberia and the engagement in such activities is a complete violation of the National Election Commission election laws,” activist McClain said.
He said it’s wrong for people, who are expected to be exemplary in their actions as policy makers are the ones are the violators of NEC’s elections laws.
McClain said pro-democracy organizations must take actions rather than issuing press releases to let law breakers know that their actions and behaviors are counter-productive to democratic tenets.
He called on the International Community to take seriously his concerns to save Liberia’s image.
The Rights Campaigner said no amount of intimidation will deter him from taking down campaign posters, billboards and flyers prematurely planted across the City and its environs.
The pro-democracy activist few weeks ago stormed the headquarters of the National Elections Commission to demand its officials to renovate and paint the building housing the electoral Commission on grounds that the building was dirty and needed a facelift.
Days after his action, the NEC authorities hired a local contractor that has begun renovating and painting the headquarter building of the electoral commission.
