-Senate Pro Tempore rules out any interim govt.
Liberians are marking their annual National Thanksgiving Day in a rather odd fashion this year, as the Supreme Court today, Thursday begins hearings into a writ of prohibition to settle a dispute over the October 10 presidential and legislative elections.
The first Thursday of every year is commemorated here as a national holiday, when all public and private offices and businesses are ordered closed by an Act of the National Legislature pass many decades ago.
On this day, Liberians usually converge at their various churches, mosques and other places of worship to give praises and thanks for the blessings bestowed upon the nations, with national thanksgiving services also being held.
The halt to all preparations for the runoff will remain enforced pending legal arguments by lawyers of the National Elections Commission (NEC), who are “to show cause why’’ the LP’s petition to nullify the October 10 election results should not be granted by the court.
The election dispute case has led to a temporary stay order being placed on the November 7 runoff presidential election by the highest court in the land, something that has whipped up tension ahead of the scheduled polls.
One of the 20 presidential candidates in the election, Charles Brumskine and his Liberty Party (LP) filed a complaint to the country’s high court claiming massive fraud and irregularities, calling for a rerun of the first round in which he came third.
George Weah of the CDC and incumbent Vice President Joseph Boakai, who topped the first round of an election requiring absolute majority, were slated to meet in the November 7 runoff. Weah got 38% of the vote while Boakai got over 28%.
A press statement from the Supreme Court on Wednesday said the case will be heard before the full bench of the court today.
The main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) of George Weah had earlier warned the high court against any attempt to rule in favor of the Liberty Party.
Nathaniel McGill, CDC’s National Chairman in a recent statement said they will resist with their sweat and blood a ruling in which the Supreme Court will annul or cancel the results of the first round of voting.
Some political observers however fear a Constitutional crisis if the legal tussle between the LP which is now backed by the ruling Unity Party of incumbent Vice President Joseph Boakai and two other parties.
Meantime, Senate President Pro Tempore, Armah Jallah, is calling for calm amidst growing tensions.
Jallah rules out the formation of any interim government as some Liberians are speculating or agitating for.
The Senate Pro Tempore said the Liberian constitution must remain supreme.
He wants the aggrieved political parties to exercise restraint as the Supreme Court looks into the matter. Report by Kaipee Newray