MONROVIA – The Board of Commissioners of the National Elections Commission (NEC) have nullified complaints filed by J. Alex Tyler of the Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC) against the National Elections Commission and Edwin Melvin Snowe in the just-ended senatorial elections in Bomi County.
The Commission also nullified complaints filed against the NEC and Representative Zoe Emmanuel Pennue by Thomas Y. Nimely in Grand Gedeh County on the election results declaring Zoe Pennue as the winner of the senatorial election in the county.
In the Board’s opinion, the complainants in both cases did not provide enough evidence that could warrant cancellation of the results. However, lawyers representing complaints Tyler and Nimely have taken appeal to the Supreme Court. Their requests were granted by the Board.
Bomi Complaint
Among the litany of complaints, the CDC and Tyler alleged that several tally sheets bearing Grand Gedeh County instead of Bomi were discovered in the county. The tally sheets marked Grand Gedeh with voting precinct CH Dewey District #1 Polling place 1 center code: 033071 and voting precinct Malema Town District #2 Polling place 1 center code 0304 had on them results inserted for nine candidates while there were only five candidates in Bomi County.
“How possible would senatorial candidates from Grand Gedeh County become part of senate record of the count for senatorial candidates for Bomi County which constitutes gross irregularities and fraud,” the CDC averred in the complaint.
According to the ruling party whose candidate in the Bomi senatorial race was J. Alex Tyler, they also discovered that several Senate record of the count exceeded the total distribution of ballot papers per polling place.
The CDC cited a voting precinct Gbah Jeh-keh, District #1 polling place 4, center code: 03006 which used 163 ballot papers while the unused, spoiled and discarded ballot papers were 550 – bringing it to a total of 713 instead of the 550 reportedly supplied to the center by the NEC.
The complaint further noted that there were similar irregularities in the reconciliation of the ballot paper reportedly supplied and the number of used, unused, spoiled and discarded ballot papers at a number of other polling places including voting precinct Barmo Palava hut District #1 polling center 1, code 03002; Nyoundee Town Hall, District #2 polling place 1, center code 03007; Geveh Fahncee District 2 polling place 1; Mary Camp District 1, Sackie Town, District 1, polling place 1, center code 03042. The ruling party also stated that another irregularity that appeared on the face of the senate record of count show that voting precinct Red Hill Palaver Hut District #1, polling place 1, center code 03047, ballot cast were 409, zero unused, spoiled, discarded totaling 409 instead of the 550.
They also alleged that during the tallying of the results, the ballot boxes seals were broken without authorization from their representative which necessitated a recount leading to their candidate “obtaining four votes which was the actual votes which were said to have been obtained during the physical counting of the votes cast, petitioner’s votes were inflated to 41”.
“Additionally, on the tally sheet of the same polling place 139 [ballot papers] were discovered in the ballot box instead of 409, difference of 270 ballot papers,” the complaint stated.
The CDC contended that the NEC decided not to conduct a free, fair and transparent elections because their representative and Rep. Snowe’s representative that were in the tally room on December 9 consented that two of the ballot boxes had multiple problems and should be therefore quarantined and was quarantined. However, the NEC went on to tally the results without the knowledge of the CDC.
Grand Gedeh Complaint
In the Grand Gedeh County case, the NEC Board said they observed the inconsistency of witnesses, that voters were denied voting because of no face mask and that they were underaged, that they saw six motor bikes carrying six ballot boxes, and that the Superintendent used Government vehicles to transport voters,
All seven Commissioners of the Board including Chairperson Davidetta Browne Lansanah, Co-chairperson Cllr. P. Teplah Reeves, Commissioners Boakai A. Dukuly, Barsee Leo Kpankai, Cllr. Ernestine Morgan Awar, Floyd Oxley Sayor and Josephine Kou Gaye heard the case and signed the ruling.
Meanwhile, the Board of Co
mmissioners has reserved rulings into the Lofa County electoral dispute case involving CPP Candidate J. Browne Samukai verses Ahmed Kromah and James Mally Complainants in one case and Keseley Gayflor, of Lofa verses J. Browne Samukai and NEC Co-Appellee. The BOC took the decision today Tuesday, 26 January 2021 following final argument between lawyers representing James Mally and Ahmed Kromah led by Cllr. Samuel Kortimai.