The National Elections Commission or NEC announces a US$2.5 million operational budget here to conduct pending senatorial by-election in Montserrado County on July 10, 2019.
Addressing a news conference in Monrovia, Monday April 29, NEC Chairman Jerome George Korkoya says the amount may possibly covers the expected Montserrado County District #15 Representative by-election as well as.Montserrado lost a senator and a representative this year within two months.
Former Senator Geraldine Doe Sherif succumbed to the cold hands of death in Accra, Ghana on February 10th following a protracted ailment, while former District#15 Representative Adolph Lawrence died on March 25th in a tragic car accident near Tower Hill community along the Robertsfield highway enroute to Monrovia from celebrating his 50th birthday with his now widow, Senator Nyonblee Karnga in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
The late Senator Doe-Sherif was a member of the Senate since she won her seat on the ticket of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) in 2009 before crossing carpet to then ruling Unity Party. Her current term was set to expire in 2023.
She had battled cancer for a little over a year. The late senator won the seat left vacant similarly by the death of late Senator Hannah Brent, also of the CDC.
On the other hand, the late Representative Lawrence, according to eyewitnesses, ran into a pickup truck carrying timber that had broken down right in the middle of the road, killing him and a lady who was in the front seat of his car. Three others who were in the back seat of the vehicle are said to be responding to medication.
The fallen Montserrado County lawmaker was buried over the weekend.
However, Cllr. Korkoya explains that though the NEC is yet to receive notification from the House of Representatives for the vacancy created as a result of the passing of Rep. Lawrence, every Liberian is in the know of his death, so as a means of proper planning, the commission included budget for the conduct of the representative by-election.
He says come May 3, the NEC is expected to issue a writ for the conduct of the senatorial by-election to be followed by accreditation of political parties’ agents, media and observers,, which will commence from May 3 to June 25.
He continues that May 05, will commence the process of nomination of candidates from political parties and independent candidates, adding that from June 04-30 is official political campaign period and the electoral house anticipates peaceful and clean campaign exercise from all participants.
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July 02, is Election Day while complaints and adjudications of electoral cases will run from July 02 to 09 and announcement of final result from the election is scheduled for July 10, 2019.By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor –Editing by Jonathan Browne
