Simeon Freeman rates election peaceful

Presidential hopeful and standard bearer of the Movement for Progressive Change Simeon Freeman says he did not encounter any problem when he went to cast his ballot in Tuesday’s Presidential and Representatives Elections. The businessman-turned politician says he is very hopeful of victory because he has advocated for the Liberian people for a very long time, but concedes that no candidate will win the first round of polling, predicting a runoff, which he hopes to participate in.

A total of 20 presidential candidates, including one female and five Independent Candidates vied in Tuesday’s election. According to the Constitution of Liberia, a candidate for the presidency must obtain 50 percent plus one of the total votes cast to win the poll, something which practically seems unlikely given the number of candidates in the race.

A runoff poll between the two top political parties or presidential candidates might be announced by the National Elections Commission for the second week in November, 2017.

Mr. Freeman, a staunch critic of the Sirleaf administration, notes that if he lost the election, he would continue with his business career. The MPC standard bearer is the distributor of DStv in Liberia, a South African-based digital television network. He also runs a water company here.

Voters were excited on Tuesday morning as early as 6:00 a.m. to cast their votes at polling precincts Montserrado County Electoral District #17.
Speaking to this paper, the Principal of the Lott Carry Mission School, Rev. Emile D.E. Sam-peal describes the electoral process as very peaceful, noting that citizens were excited to vote and the electoral rules were respected, including the rights of everybody.

Rev. Sam-peal warns against violence, stressing that violence affects everybody, including the country.  The President of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) Charles Coffey, who voted at the Lott Carey Mission in Brewerville City, says he believes the polls were peaceful and calls on the media to report what they see.

By Bridgett Milton -Editing by Jonathan Browne