Chief Justice Francis S. Korkpor, Sr., says the Supreme Court did not place a stay order on campaign activities for the pending Senatorial election, but it did place a stay order on the final candidate roll following a complaint filed by one of the aspirants of Margibi County, Mr. Mulbah Jackollie.
Speaking Wednesday, 18 November, he said there was no stay order placed on campaign activities, noting that the stay order was only placed on the final candidates’ roll by the National Elections Commission (NEC).
His comments were in reaction to media publication on Wednesday that the Supreme Court had lifted a stay order on elections activities, following the court’s decision Tuesday to lift the stay order it had placed on the release of the final candidate roll.
“If you have problem with the National Elections Commission or adjourned to this, and this we have cleared that the adjustment made first before the final list can be published, that’s why the Justices in chamber put the stay order on the final candidate roll,” Chief Justice Korkpor says.
According to the Chief Justice, the public should not think that the Supreme Court placed restriction to stop the electoral process that is already ongoing.
Instead, he explains that the stay order which was lifted Tuesday by the Supreme Court was not placed earlier on the entire election activities.
The stay order followed a complaint filed by the lawyers representing Margibi County senatorial aspirant Mulbah Jackollie against the National Elections Commission for allegedly denying him due process.
The lifting of the stay order came when Jackollie’s lawyers on Tuesday, 17 November withdrew overnight from the lawsuit.
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The stay order initially placed by Chamber Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh mandated the NEC to put a hold on all other activities, including the publication of the final list of candidates to contest the election, as well as the declaration of the opening of campaign pending the outcome of the hearing of Jackollie’s complaint.
It is unclear as to what necessitated the law firm’s decision, especially when the lawyers assured Jackollie that they would do everything legally possible to have him participate in the pending senatorial election.
By Ben P. Wesee–Edited by Winston W. Parley
