Liberia’s election commission dismisses fraud claims

By Evelyn Kpadeh Seagbeh

MONROVIA, Liberia

Liberia’s National Election Commission (NEC) said Monday the opposition Liberty Party did not have enough evidence of gross irregularities to warrant overturning last month’s presidential polls.

The commission presented its final ruling in an election irregularities and fraud case filed by third-place finisher Charles Brumskine and his Liberty Party.

“The first complainant and the intervening complainant have failed to prove the allegation of irregularities and fraud that would have warranted the rerun of the Oct. 10, 2017 elections. Said complaint is hereby denied and dismissed,” said the Chief Dispute Hearing Officer of the country’s Election Commission, Cllr. Muana Sinoe Ville, in presenting the ruling.

The ruling follows weeks of legal battles between the NEC and Liberty Party since the end of the polls.

Earlier, Liberia’s Supreme Court suspended the presidential runoff that was expected to take place Nov. 7 between former footballer George Weah and the ruling Unity Party’s Vice President Joseph Boakai pending the NEC’s completion of the investigation into the Liberty Party’s complaints.

The Liberty Party has decided to appeal the ruling to the National Election Commission’s board of commissioners. If the party still isn’t satisfied, the Supreme Court would be its next option for an appeal.