-As national rights group urges NEC to speed up probe
By our Reporter
With just over a week to Liberia’s runoff presidential election, the opposition Liberty Party (LP) of Charles Brumskine has petitioned the Supreme Court to stop the vote, as the Independent National Human Rights Commission (INHCR) urges the National Elections Commission (NEC) to speed up probe into multiple claims of fraud.
On Friday, the INCHR issued a statement in Monrovia expressing concern over the slow pace of investigations into a string of complaints about alleged election fraud and other irregularities.
Brumskine, who came third in the October 10, 2017 first round with 9.6% of the votes, says his party’s writ of prohibition is intended to put a put a halt to the pending second round until a full investigation into what he says is massive evidence of fraud and irregularities.
Ballot papers for the runoff election between the two top first round candidate—the main opposition candidate George Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and incumbent Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party (UP).
It’s not known when the country’s high court will hear the LP writ of prohibition case. But the Supreme Court announced before the October 10 polls that it will not take its annual year-end break. The court said it will remain in session throughout the electioneering period, in order to hear all cases arising from the polls.
The late Opening of Polls, change of polling stations, omission of names from the Voter Registration Roll and NEC’s failure to use worksheet are among claims by Brumskine and his LP.
They also provided 10 specific instances of alleged fraud that it said marred the just ended elections.
Last Monday, the LP submitted a formal complaint to the NEC saying that it was taking advantage of Article 83 (c) of the constitution.
“Any party or candidate who complains about the manner in which the elections were conducted or who challenges the results thereof shall have the right to file a complaint with the Elections Commission. Such complaint must be filed not later than seven days after the announcement of the results of the elections” Article 83 (c) of the Constitution.
It’s not known whether the national electoral body has completed investigations into complaints filed by LP, the Alternative National Congress (ANC) of Alexander Cummings and Benoni Urey of the All Liberian Party (ALP).
The ruling Unity Party (UP) presidential candidate Joseph Boakai also this week said the UP stands in solidarity with the aggrieved parties and urged the NEC to clean up and publish the final voter roll.