Senate clears NEC boss

The Liberian Senate has instructed the National Elections Commission to continue with the ongoing electoral exercise leading to the runoff poll on next Tuesday, December 26.

The decision followed a motion filed by Grand Gedeh County Senator Alphonso Gaye, urging the Commission to adhere to the Supreme Court’s mandate and move on with electoral activities.

The Liberian Senate last Tuesday summoned the Chairman of the National Elections Commission Cllr. Jerome G. Korkoya along with all commissioners of the NEC to explain how they intend cleaning the Final Registration Roll.

A motion raised by Sen. Jonathan Kaipay of Grand Bassa County that relevant senate committees work with NEC to ensure the runoff is conducted in line with the Supreme Court mandate, was defeated and Sen. Gaye was asked to make a new motion.

For his part, Chairman Korkoya explains that the NEC has completed the cleanup of the voter roll and it has been published at various polling centers across the country, as mandated.

However, some senators claim they have received complaints from their counties that the FRR is still the same used for the October 10 elections, but Chairman Korkoya maintains that the NEC is the agency responsible to conduct elections and was proceeding accordingly so it was left with the lawmakers to believe what he says or listen to their people in the counties.

The runoff presidential election is between the governing Unity Party led by Vice President Joseph Nyumaj Boakai and the Coalition for Democratic Change headed by Senator George Weah.

By Bridgett Milton -Editing by Jonathan Browne