By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor in Monvoria
With less than eleven days to the holding of the Representatives and Presidential elections, Liberty Party of Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine has filed formal complaints with the National Election Commission (NEC) against the Coalition for Democratic Change of Montserrado County Senator George Manneh Weah alleging electoral violence perpetrated by CDCians
Speaking at the regular press briefing Wednesday, September 27, at NEC’s headquarters in Monrovia, Chairman Jerome George Korkoya said that the Liberty Party complained the CDC alleging campaign violence which occurred in Sanniquelle, Nimba County.
“This complaint has been referred to our independent hearing office for investigation. A second complaint was submitted by Mr. Bill Twehway, a candidate for the House of Representatives on the ticket of the CDC, against Mr. Ceebee Barshall, a House of Representatives candidate of the Unity Party. That complaint has also been referred for investigation. The Liberty Party also filed a complaint against the Mayoress of Voinjama City, Lofa County alleging unfair charges for campaign banners in the city,” he said.
Recently, the partisans of Liberty Party and Coalition for Democratic Change clashed in Sanniquelle, Nimba during campaign in-country tour of both parties.
Commenting on the electoral preparation, Chairman Korkoya said electoral preparations are on track, with the arrival of presidential ballot papers since Saturday, September 23, and transported to a secure location under the protection of state security.
The NEC said the second batch of ballot papers for House of Representatives was expected to arrive in country on September 28th, adding, “As we noted before in prior briefings there are 5,390 polling stations across the nation. Each polling station will receive a total 550 presidential ballot papers and 550 representative ballots in keeping with practice,” Mr. Korkoya.
The NEC’s boss announced that the United Nations Mission in Liberia has agreed to airlift electoral materials to the following hard-to- reach areas.
“These areas are; Gbarpolu, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Maryland and River Gee counties. The commission is grateful to UNMIL for this kind and timely intervention. The commission is also grateful to the government of Japan and UNDP for supporting the deployment of election security officers,” he said.