By J. Ebenezer Daygbor
He made a forceful announcement recently that all registered voters will cast their ballots irrespective of the misplaced names and pictures, but National Elections Commission Chairman Jerome Korkoya has walked his blooper. He even described criticisms of his comments as “non-sense”.
No sooner than Korkoya has finished his seemingly arrogant branding of critics as nonsense when the Liberian Senate slammed him with contempt and ordered him to appear before the full Plenary to give reasons, if any, why he cannot be held in contempt.
But Korkoya told the lawmakers that he bit his tongue, saying that his recent statement assuring all registered voters they will cast their ballots, despite the misplacement of names against individuals’ photographs, were human errors that have consequential bearings and the propensity to undermine a free, fair and transparent electoral process.
Appearing before the full plenary of the Liberian Senate at the Capitol Building, Thursday, June 22, in the chambers of the Senate in Monrovia, Chairman Korkoya said there no need for people to panic or worry on grounds that the electoral commission is in full control.
According to him, of the human error, there are 13,000 Liberians, which amounts to 0.6 percent of the total registered voters, but added that the Commission is already battling the process of ratifying the situation by revisiting the data processing unit. He also said they are encouraging legally registered voters’ to do some follow up at the Commission’s headquarters in Monrovia.
When quizzed by Sinoe County Senator J. Milton Teahjay about how many forms were brought in the country, Korkoya told the Senate, the commission printed about four million forms, but he fell short of stating the exact number of forms were used, how many left, on grounds that NEC still processing forms. According to him, NEC will make available said information when the process is completed.
For some time now, NEC has being in hot water with the public, and some politicians including Bong County Senior Senator and CDC Vice Standard-bearer Jewel Taylor who raised alarm recently and took issues with the Commission. The National Election Commission assured Liberians carrying legitimate voters registration cards full participation in the electioneering process.
The Commission’s comment comes in the wake of fear by some citizens who are raising alarms that their names and photos are not on the voters’ roll exhibition.
At a News Conference Wednesday June 14, 2017 Chairman Jerome Korkoya called on people in such situations to visit the various polling centers to have their names and photos placed in the database.
Mr. Korkoya: “People with the issue of unavailability of photos during these exhibition periods should go to the various magistrates for photo taking and every Liberian who has voter card will vote. The errors wouldn’t affect you. There is nothing to be worried about. People should stop creating unnecessary alarm. Please help us to explain to the people the only reason we are holding exhibition is to correct the errors. We are working hard to ensure a credible election that will be acceptable. We have a fine process we are working under extreme circumstances we don’t say don’t criticize,” Chairman Kokorya said at the time.
The National Elections Commission (NEC) on June 12, 2017 commenced the Exhibition of the Provisional Voter Roll at all 2080 Exhibition Centers (formerly Voter Registration Centers) across the country.
