By Lincoln G. Peters
Opposition presidential candidate Dr. Jeremiah Whapoe has accused the National Elections Commission (NEC) of allegedly diverting his votes to the Grassroots Development Movement (GDM).
The Vision for Liberia Transformation Party (VOLT) standard bearer alleged that GDM was placed where his party’s name should have been.
“I want to inform you about the intentional error of the NEC to rob us of our votes,” Whapoe told a press conference Wednesday, 11 October 2023.
“During the voting on Tuesday, October 10, our party name was represented by the Grassroots Development Movement despite our name, picture, and logo [being] seen on the ballot,” said Dr. Whapoe.
On the same ballot, he lamented, you also have the Grassroots Development Movement standard bearer seated at another position.
Dr. Whapoe stated that this was brought to his attention by his supporters, partisans, and poll watchers.
He noted that his supporters told him that when they went to vote, they didn’t see their party’s name, but they saw the Grassroots Development Movement.
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Dr. Whapoe complained that his party’s name was not mentioned on the ballot papers and tally sheets, something he saw as evil.
According to him, his party has written the National Elections Commission (NEC) through its Political Affairs Department concerning the alleged irregularity.
Whapoe described the NEC’s alleged action as an intentional plan to rob his party of votes.
However, Dr. Whapoe claimed that it is the first time in the history of Liberia and the world at large for a political party to be represented twice on a ballot paper.
He insisted that the NEC’s action was intentional and meant to deprive him of votes and participation.
“We want the National Elections Commission to immediately address this matter and stop giving preliminary results to the public,” said Dr. Whapoe.
“The action by the NEC was intentional and intended to rob us of our votes. We are calling on the international community to step in to avoid further circumstances,” he concluded.
Responding to the allegation during the NEC’s regular press briefing, NEC Chairperson Madam Davidetta Brown-Lansanah neither confirmed nor denied the allegation.
She said the Department of Political Affairs will ensure that the matter is adequately addressed.
