PHOTO: Mrs. Davidetta Browne Lansanh, NEC Chair
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Board of Commissioners of the National Elections Commission has for the second time reserved ruling into the Bomi County Electoral dispute case involving Independent Senatorial candidates Edwin Melvin Snowe and the ruling CDC by and through its Candidate Alex Tyler.
Tyler is disputing the December 8, 2020 Senatorial election results in Bomi in which Mr. Snowe got the most votes. He is complaining of alleged irregularities.
The Board of Commissioners (BOC) of NEC took the decision on Friday, 22 January 2021, after it heard arguments between lawyers representing NEC, as first respondent and incumbent Representative Snowe, as second respondent and Alex Tyler rested on their prayers for action of Diminution of Records.
However, NEC, as first respondent, through Attorneys Cephas Teewia and A. Teage Jalloh said the diminution bill was only intended to further delay case.
Attorneys Teewiah and Jalloh said that at the first hearing on 7 January 2021 the movement made a submission for the full minutes which was granted by the BOC and the matter was postponed.
The NEC lawyers said again on 13 January 2021 the movement asked the BOC to grant another motion for corrections of minutes before they can continue the case. Cllr. Amara Sheriff, representing CDC-Bomi County and Alex Tyler said the mandate of the BOC was for the clerk to provide the full minutes from the case including all 43 pieces of documentary evidences and not 27 was under executed, adding that the Bill of Information was therefore being very imperative to the matter.
The NEC lawyers wonder at what time did the informant review the records.
The Second respondents, Edwin Melvin Snowe, through Cllr. Wilfred Sayer said it beats his imagination to known that a lawyer after final arguments will come back to appeal for minutes and certain pieces of documents.
The second respondent’s legal team through Cllr. Sayer pray that the BOC denies and dismisses the bill of information because it was baseless and worthless.
But the Board of Commissioners of NEC, through its Chairperson Davidetta Browne Lansanah said the bill of information will be consolidated into one to allow the Board Of Commissioners to issue one final ruling and suspended the matter.
Meanwhile, in the second electoral dispute case, hearing of Bill of Information, Independent Candidate Steve Tequah of Rivercess Verses NEC, first respondent and Wellington Geevon Smith, second respondent, the BOC after hearing arguments said through its Chairperson reserved ruling. Notice will be served and suspended the matter.
Independent Candidate Steve Tequah is praying the BOC to have recount in 104 polling places and re-run in the 7 polling places where the recount was counted on 16 January 2021.
As per the records, all seven Commissioners, including Chairperson Davidetta Browne Lansanah, Chairperson Cllr. P. Teplah Reeves, Commissioners Boakai A. Dukuly, Barsee Leo Kpangbai, Cllr. Ernest Morgan Awar, Floyd Oxley Sayor and Josephine Kou Gaye heard the two cases.
So far, only the results of six counties’ results of the senatorial election conducted by the National Elections Commission have thus far.
The results released thus far are from Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Bong, Rivergee, Margibi and Grand Kru Counties
Results of the elections conducted in Lofa, Gbarpolu, Nimba and Bomi Counties are yet to be released because of electoral dispute. Others are Maryland, Grand Cape, Sinoe, and Rivercess counties.