NEC says it’s open to legal challenges Â
By Lincoln G. Peters
The National Elections Commission (NEC) has declared government-backed candidate Cllr. Joseph K. Jallah as the winner of the Lofa County Senatorial by – election.
“With 100% of the polling places having been tallied, the commission hereby declares independent candidate Joseph Kpator Jallah as the winner of the June 28, 2022, senatorial by-election in Lofa County,” said Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, Chairperson of the NEC.
The by-election was held to fill a vacant seat that former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai could not be allowed to occupy following his election in 2020 due to his conviction in a criminal trial.
His Unity Party’s next choice for the Lofa senatorial by-election, Mr. Galakkpai Kortimai also lost the polls to government-supported candidate, Cllr. Jallah.
“As you will recall, of the 454 polling places in Lofa County, we on June 30, 2022, reported the tallied results of 381, constituting 83.92%,” Madam Browne – Lansanah told a press conference over the weekend.
She detailed that the tally team has tallied the results from the remaining 73 polling places, constituting 100%.
Four of the six candidates in the Lofa senatorial by-election were independent candidates in persons Mr. Momo Cyrus, Representative Mariamu Fofana, Mr. George Samah and the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) – supported candidate Cllr. Jallah.
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Unity Party’s candidate in the race was Kortimai, while the People’s Unification Party (PUL) candidate was Mr. Sumo Kupee.
According to the NEC, Cllr. Jallah obtained 22,019 votes, defeating his closest rival, Kortimai of the Unity Party with 21,229 votes.
Madam Browne – Lansanah added that the total validate votes of 60,394, constitutes 100%. She said there was a total invalid vote of 2,025.
“The NEC wishes to thank the people of Lofa County, the Government of Liberia for providing the funding,” said Madam Browne-Lansanah.
She also thanked the joint security, other stakeholders and the over two thousand temporary staff who helped in making the conduct of the 28 June 2022 Lofa senatorial by-election successful.
Responding to reports circulating on social media about irregularities in the Lofa senatorial by-election, Browne – Lansanah said there were attempts by some to misinform the public with fake reports.
She contended that those fake reports do not represent the official results of the NEC. She challenged that if anyone believes that the official results are different, they can avail themselves through the legal process in keeping with Article 83 (c) of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia. –Edited by Winston W. Parley
