Protestors storm NEC
Hundreds of people claiming to be from Maryland County have stormed the headquarters of the National Elections Commission or NEC, protesting results of the election between Senator J. Gble-bo Brown and Representative Bhofal Chambers during the December 20, 2014 Special Senatorial Election.
The board of commissioners had gathered in the James Fromayan Conference Hall to conduct hearings of the election protest filed by Representative Chambers and former Superintendent, now Senator Brown case.
Representative Chambers had since filed a lawsuit against the result of Maryland County’s senatorial election, which favoured Sen. Brown.
The protestors, many of whom are in their early 30s and 40s with placards gathered at the 9th Street, Sinkor headquarters of NEC, claiming that the result of the senatorial election between Rep. Chambers and Senator Brown was unfair and did not reflect the actual votes cast.
J. James Weah, one of the protestors said it is unfortunate and frustrating for the election commission to allow Sen. Brown to take seat amidst protest.
“The result of the just ended election does not reflect the choice in terms of the senatorial election; the commission decided to impose Mr. Brown on us as national leaders. Besides, NEC team headed by Cllr. Jerome Korkoya is to certificate Mr. Brown ahead of the Supreme Court ‘s decision on the election result,” he further argued.
Speaking to The NewDawn Friday in Monrovia, Mr. Weah said the action of the commission is a clear disrespect to Maryland County and the rest of Liberia.
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Some of the placards read: “Sen. Brown is not our choice; ‘Bhofal, we want to de-certificate Sen. Brown’; “Recounting, we want”; “Don’t impose Brown as leader”, among others.
Also speaking to the paper on Friday, Sylvester Koko, a student, said as Marylanders, they will not rest until the NEC can conduct a recount of the ballots. “The action of the Election Commission is taking advantage of us; this is total disrespect to the laws of the land”, he said.
Meanwhile, the NEC Board of Commissioners, which is the highest decision making body, will again meet today, Monday, to continue the hearings. By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor – Edited by Jonathan Browne