The Liberian Senate has voted overwhelmingly here, summoning the entire board of commissioners of the National Elections Commission to appear before that august body onThursday, February 13, to give detail surrounding the holding of the 2020 Special Senatorial election in October.
The senate took the decision Thursday, February 06, following a communication from Grand Bassa County Senator NyonbleeKarnga Lawrence.
Senator Lawrence said her communication seeks to establish the level of preparation of the National Elections Commission to conduct the Special Senatorial election scheduled for October. “Our reluctance or refusal to ensure and enhance the preparedness of the National Elections Commission to conduct such a major constitutional responsibility would render us [as] accomplices to whatever adverse consequences that would arise there from,” she cautions her colleagues.
The political leader of the opposition Liberty Party continues that the circumstances attendant to the conduct of recent by-elections in the country impose on them as leaders, a duty to inquire into the NEC’s adherence to the instructions of the Supreme Court in the 2017 Liberty Party and Unity Party versus the National Elections Commission case.
According to her, as part of the court’s ruling in the case, the National Elections Commission was charged with specific instructions to ensure that the Presidential run-off election of 2017 and the future elections conducted by the highest possible standards to be deemed free, fair and transparent.
“The instructions from the Supreme Court to the NEC include but not limited to the following; the full clean up of the Final Voters to ensure that multi names are removed therefore; the timely and effective publication of Final Registration Roll (FRR); that any addendum to the FRR be limited to only those listed in the NEC polling and counting manual among others.”
Based on the communication, Plenary instructed the Secretary of the Senate, Nanbolor Singbeh, to invite the board of commissioners of the National Elections Commission to answer questions on the recommendations of the Supreme Court.By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor-Editing by Jonathan Browne
