Gbartala, Bong County – A Lot of voters at the David Faijue School Polling Station who have been in line since 5:00 am are unable to vote because their names are not on the roll – an incident that earlier led to a standoff when angry voters blocked the main roads and burned tires.
But the Chairman of the National Elections Commission (NEC) in a press conference this afternoon in Monrovia said he is aware of the omission of some names from the roll and it was being addressed.
He also explained that the situation was caused by multiple registrations during the voters registration process.
According to him, during the verification exercise, where it was noticed that a voter had registered at two or three different places, the initial ones are deleted, only the last is left in the on the voters roll.
But many of these voters in Bong County believe that they wouldn’t have faced the situation if they had displayed the final voters’ roll.
Earlier today in Gbartala, Yellequelleh District, voting came at a standstill after several persons, were denied the chance to exercise their franchise though they had valid voter’s ID cards simply because their names and ID numbers could not be found in the voters roll.
Following their denial, the youths set up tires in the middle of the Gbartala-Monrovia Highway, which caused serious traffic snarl.
The angry voters say they want the National Elections Commission (NEC) allow them vote because they have legitimate voter cards.
NEC Lower Bong magistrate Barsee Kpangbai told FrontPageAfrica via mobile that they were in discussion with those affect to see whether they can allow them vote.