Monrovia – Mr. Floyd Sayor, is one of six persons nominated by President George Weah to serve as commissioners on the board of the National Elections Commission (NEC), told the Senate Committee on Autonomous Agencies and Commissions that public perception about him are wrong, insisting that he is the right man for the job, boasting 16 years of experience in conducting elections.
Henry Karmo, [email protected]
In the aftermath of last August District No. 15 legislative elections between Telia Urey and Abu Kamara, the chief election dispute hearing officer, Cllr. Muana S. Ville gave the reason why there should be a rerun at the quarantined polling centers in Montserrado Electoral District #15, declaring that Sayor compromised the integrity of the District #15 polls by failing to obey instructions from his immediate boss, to quarantine ballots from the polling places where irregularities were said to have occurred and withhold the inclusion of votes from those areas from the final tally, until all such complaints had been addressed.
Cllr. Ville explained: “The hearing officers, having asked witness Floyd Sayor to state the date he began the counting upon the close of the voting centers, he did not. Additionally, the hearing officers were informed by witness Sayor that he disobeyed the order of his immediate boss, Emma Togba, when he was told to quarantine the polling centers said to have had some problems as claimed by Telia Urey and her campaign team.”
The hearing officer added, “Knowing that Emma Togba is the most senior officer at the NEC and that witness Floyd Sayor had no reason to have heard from the Board of Commissioners (BOC) first before taking an immediate action in order to contain any future problem for the electoral process, he was wrong and, for this reason, we hereby order a rerun for the six precinct centers from which the 20 polling places were created”, he declared.
In his own defense, Mr. Sayor denied being investigate by the NEC. Contrary to his denial, Senator Dillon displayed a report from Cllr. Ville, NEC’s hearing officer where he ruled in the case Telia Urey versus the NEC as a result of election dispute between she and Mr. Abu Kamara, where he ordered the Investigation of Mr. Sayor.
Ms. Urey, daughter of businessman-turned politician Benoni Urey, had requested a rerun of the Representative by-election in District #15 amid allegations of voting irregularities.
Months later, many were taken aback at President Weah’s decision to nominate Sayor considering his involving in the District No. 15 saga.
Appearing before the Senate committee Saturday, Mr. Sayor, currently the data director at the NEC where he has worked for the past twelve years.
Despite the controversy, Sayor said Saturday he is qualified for the job. “Honorable senators with the level of work I have done at the NEC and my experience I think I am qualified and ready to serve.”
Sayor has been a controversial figure often accused of manipulating data at the NEC against certain individuals who for some reasons felt cheated in every electoral process in the past decade. In 2017 Sayon was made to appear before the court as expert witness in the case Liberty Party versus The National elections Commission.
In an attempt to question the nominee’s integrity at NEC, judging from his past records, Senator Darius Dillon(Liberty Party) asked the nominee whether he had ever been investigated by the NEC for electoral malpractices.
In his own defense, Mr. Sayor denied being investigate by the NEC. Contrary to his denial, Senator Dillon displayed a report from Cllr. Ville, NEC’s hearing officer where he ruled in the case Telia Urey versus the NEC as a result of election dispute between she and Mr. Abu Kamara, where he ordered the Investigation of Mr. Sayor.
Also facing the Committee Saturday, Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, Co-Chair designate and Cllr. Ernestine Morgan-Awar, Commissioner told the committee how confirming them to their nominated positions could help speed up the process of elections in 2020 and 2023.
According to Commissioner-designate, Morgan-Awar, her history of Liberia’s bitter past as a child that came about due to electoral dissatisfaction during the 1985 gives her more reasons to take serious her job as one of the NEC commissioners and promised to exhibit integrity and honesty while serving the commission. “I am from a generation that has an impact in the negative in the year of 1985. I am a victim of a father who went missing. As Commissioner I will work to give our people due diligence through the conduct of elections.”
For her part Mrs. Browne-Lansanah, who has served the commission for the past seven years as a commissioner and is being appointed to a higher position as co-chair of NEC, promised to use her experience acquired at NEC to exhibit professionalism and honesty. She also promised to be a transparent Commissioner.
Meanwhile Committee chair, Senator J. Milton Teahjay(Unity Party, Sinoe) announced that the confirmation hearing for the chairman-designate Cllr. A. Ndubusi Nwabudike Chairman and is urging members of all political parties and Civil Society Organizations to attend and witness the proceedings.
Last week, President Weah nominated Cllr. Nwabudike as Chairman and Browne Lansanah Co-Chair. Cllr. Ernestine Morgan-Awar, Floyd Sayor, Barsee Kpankpa and Josephine Kou Gaye were nominated as Commissioners respectively.