Images of the ELWA Rehab Community Road and Cllr. Korkoya
By Our Staff Writer
The Liberia National Police (LNP) has confirmed receiving distress call from the Chairman the National Elections Commission (NEC), Cllr Jerome Korkoya on Thursday that unknown men surrounded his residence in the Monrovia suburb of Rehab in Paynesville, threatening to set it ablaze.
But Police Spokesman, Moses Carter told the media last evening that after receiving the NEC Chairman’s call, the police later deployed men at his residence and beefed up security around Chairman Korkoya. But the Police spokesman said by the time the police got there, those making the threat had left and no arrest has been made so far.
Mr. Korkoya’s residence is located close to the residence of President George Weah.
News of the development first broke when the Deputy head of Communications at NEC, Mr. Prince Dunbar last evening did live phone interview with the local private FM radio, Fabric. He revealed that Chairman Korkoya had told him to alert the media about the incident in which the unknown men had demanded he (Korkoya) immediately announce the final results of the Montserrado County Senatorial and Representative By-election.
Mr. Dunbar said that the when the men were surrounding the NEC Chairman’s home, he was not there at the time but they were said to have identified themselves as being from the opposition Liberty Party, something LP officials immediately rubbished.
They said the LP has no track record of engaging in threats and violence, describing those who reported went to Chairman Korkoya’s home as “thugs”.
The reported attack on the NEC Chairman’s residence comes amidst growing tensions between the ruling Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC) and the opposition over the outcome of the July 29, 2019 By-elections, which both parties have been claiming victory in the Montserrado District #15 Representative seat.
It also follows Wednesday’s bloody clashes between supporters of the LP and the CDC at the LP’s headquarters in the Congo Town suburb of Monrovia, which left 14 persons injured, some of them seriously.
Meanwhile, supporters of one of the District #15 candidates, Ms. Telia Urey, daughter of opposition ALP leader, Mr. Benoni Urey Friday morning began a peaceful protest opposite the headquarters of the NEC, carrying placards and chanting slogans in demand of the release of the final results.