NEC declares Dr. Tokpah winner

The National Elections Commission (NEC) has declared independent candidate Dr. Henrique Flomo Tokpa the winner of the Bong County Senatorial By – Election.

Dr. Tokpa defeats four rivals inclusive of ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC’s) candidate, Rep. Josiah Marvin Cole who has been heavily backed by Vice President Jewel Howard – Taylor.

The NEC announced at a news conference Thursday, 2 August at its headquarters in Sinkor that it has concluded counting and tallying of all votes casted for the election in Bong County.

NEC Chair Cllr. Jerome George Korkoya says of the total votes casted and tallied, Dr. Tokpah obtained 27,806 votes, amounting to 47.8 percent. His closest rival Rep. Cole obtained 20,982 votes.

For the Montserrado by – election, Chairman Korkoya says the ruling CDC candidate Rep. Saah Joseph remains in the lead, with an updated vote of 37,141 which amount to 55.2 percent of the total votes counted so far.

The Montserrado and Bounty Counties senatorial seats were left vacant when President George Manneh Weah and Vice President Taylor’s CDC ticket won a presidential runoff in December 2017.

The ruling party fought to maintain the two seats, featuring two sitting representatives for Mr. Weah and Madam Taylor’s replacement.If Mr. Joseph is finally declared winner of the Montserrado polls, another by – election will be conducted in the district he was initially elected last year for a six – year mandate, the same number of years he will serve in the Senate.

Rep. Joseph is being chased by Independent Candidate Bernard Benson (alias DJ Blue) who has obtained 20.9 percent of votes counted here.Mr. Benson is also followed by former ruling Unity Party (UP) candidate Josephine George Francis who has collected 5,978 votes or 8.9 percent.

Cllr. Korkoya says for Montserrado County, the Commission has counted and tallied 52.91 percent votes casted during the Tuesday election.He maintains that the NEC has not received any complaint regarding the July 31 Senatorial By-elections.

“I wish to remind all parties that complaints regarding polling/counting or tallying irregularities should be filed with the NEC Magistrate Offices in Bong and Montserrado Counties,” he says.

The NEC Chair has congratulated all registered voters that turned out to vote in the Senatorial By-elections conducted in Bong and Montserrado Counties for their patriotism and good deportment exhibited during the elections.

He has also expressed heartfelt thanks to all field staff including poll workers, many of whom spent sleepless hours in ensuring that the elections succeeded.
“Special thanks and appreciation go to the leadership and officers of the joint security forces for helping to provide the enabling environment for the successful conduct of the Senatorial By-elections,” he adds.

He has further appreciated international partners, observer groups and the media for their roles and involvement throughout the process.Cllr. Korkoya reports that the electoral process has been successfully implemented as planned, noting that polls opened in most places on time and the counting of votes has progressed much faster.

By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor–Edited by Winston W. Parley