By Thomas Domah, Nimba County
Several supporters and observers of Nimba County District #4 Representative Gonpue L. Kargon have boycotted ongoing recount at the election magistrate’s office in Sanniquellie, upper Nimba.
The Supreme Court of Liberia had ordered the National Elections Commission to conduct a recount in 70 polling places out of 84 polling centers in electoral district#4, Nimba.
But following day one of the exercise last week Friday at the NEC sub-office in Sanniquellie, some CDC representatives alarmed fraud and the Commission instructed them to write a formal complaint. However, the process ended peacefully on the first day.
On Saturday, the next day, all of the over 20 representatives from the CDC openly announced that there was irregularity in the process, which led them to walk out in protest.
They vowed not to be a part of the recount again but the NEC continued the exercise in the presence of local and national observers, including media institutions.
The ongoing recount in Sanniquellie is taking place among 17 candidates that contested in the October 10, 2023, Presidential and Representative elections.
Following the first day of the recount on Friday, Representative-elect Ernest Manseah of the MDR took the airwave and openly told Nimbaians that he had won the ongoing recount, which led his supporters to get in the streets of Ganta and other parts of Nimba County in jubilation, ahead of official pronouncement by the National Elections Commission.
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NEC officials told The NEW DAWN that they will continue with the process and upon completion, the winner will be announced officially.
However, supporters of Representative Kargon alleged that serial numbers of ballot boxes that contained votes that are being recounted are not corresponding, while others claimed some of the boxes were already open.
They also alleged that during initial count of votes in October 2023, most of the votes of Representative Kargon were classified as invalid. Editing by Jonathan Browne
