Liberia Supreme Court to hear election petition on Friday

02 Novembre 2017

Monrovia, Liberia, November 2 (Infosplusgabon) - Liberia's Supreme Court will on Friday hear a petition filed by a losing candidate alleging fraud in the 10 October first round presidential election, a source close to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has told Infosplusgabon.

The source told Infosplusgabon  on Thursday that in the meantime, the Supreme Court's order to the National Elections Commission (NEC) to halt preparations for the 7 November presidential run-off election still holds.

Togolese President and Chairman of ECOWAS Faure Gnassingbe on Wednesday went to the Liberian capital, Monrovia, at the head of a mission of the sub-regional group over electoral issues and held talks with a several individuals, political parties and bodies.

The Liberia Supreme Court on Wednesday halted preparations for the runoff election following a writ filed by Charles Brumskine, a candidate who came third in the first round of the vote, according to court documents obtained by Infosplusgabon,  which said the hearing had been scheduled for Thursday.

Charles Brumskine and his running mate have sued NEC and its Board of Commissioners alleging fraud in the first round of the election.

The orders of the Supreme Court read: "You are commanded to instruct the respondents (NEC and the Board of Commissioners) to stay any and all actions in respect of the pendinbg runoff election scheduled for November 7, 2017, pending the disposition by the Supreme Court of the petioners' petition.

"You will further inform the parties that given the constitutional issues raised in the petition, coupled with the fact that election matters are to be expeditiously heard and determined, that upon service of the writ and the returns thereto, the case is hereby docketed for urgent disposition by the Bench...

"You are further commanded to instruct the respondents herein to file their formal returns to this writ in the Office of the Clerk of this Honourable Court on or before the 2nd day of November 2017 AD."

The National Elections Commission (NEC) has been preparing feverishly for next Tuesday's second round. It has already taken delivery of ballots papers for the vote.

The run-off will be between ex-footballer star George Weah, 51, of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), who polled 38.4 percent, and incumbent vice president Joseph Boakai, 71, of the ruling Unity Party (UP), who polled 28.8 percent in the first round. There were 20 candidates in the first round.

The candidate who polls more than 50 per cent will be declared the winner and will take over from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who ends her second term.

The fallouts from the first round of voting on 10 October are threatening the peace and security of the country that is only slowly emerging from a bloody civil war that claimed tens of thousands of lives, destroyed its infrastructure and literally halted its progress.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/PLO/GABON 2017

© Copyright Infosplusgabon