Monrovia -Two former high-ranking officials of the National Election Commission (NEC) have raised concerns about the transparency and clarity of the election results being released by the NEC. Former NEC Chairman, James Fromayan, and former Commissioner Jonathan Weedor jointly voiced their reservations during an interview with journalists over the weekend, stating that the NEC’s current reporting method does not provide a clear understanding to the public.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972) – [email protected]
However, the ECOWAS Commission in statement has urged political parties and stakeholders not to put NEC under duress to release results, rather the Commission should be allowed to carry out its mandate without interference.
The regional body reminded political parties and their leaders of their commitments under the revised Farmington River Declaration on peaceful electoral process, which was endorsed by the ECOWAS Commission and the United Nations.
“The ECOWAS Commission further cautions all stakeholders, including political leaders as well as the National Elections Commission and the Security services of Liberia that ECOWAS, the AU and the International Community will hold them accountable for any actions that may lead to violence and instability,” the Commission stated.
What Fromoyan and Weedor Said
Former Chairman James Fromayan who is a consultant to the Unity Party campaign team, expressed his dissatisfaction with the way the NEC is presenting the results, stating that the results should be delivered in numerical figures rather than percentages, as has been the practice since the counting process began. He emphasized the need to provide detailed statistics, including the number of votes each candidate received, the count of spoiled ballots, and the total votes cast, at the county and precinct levels.
Fromayan argued, “Give the people a clear understanding of who gets what. If someone got 1600, you indicate it. NEC is confusing the people; you and I will not be able to figure out who got what in real terms.”
Former Commissioner Weedor concurred, stating that the NEC’s reporting has created confusion among the public. He stressed the importance of ensuring that elections are not only free and fair but also transparent, with results that are easily understood by the public.
Weedor explained, “The percentage should be associated with the figure so the people will know where we are at. In the absence of that, you create ambivalence that may have the potential of creating misunderstanding and chaos.”
Despite their concerns about the reporting methodology, both former NEC officials expressed their belief that the Unity Party (UP) is likely to secure a first-round victory based on their data analysis, especially in the most populous counties.
Former Chairman Fromayan noted that UP appeared to have strong support in key counties and suggested that the results from these counties were decisive in determining the election outcome.
Former Commissioner Weedor added that UP had won over 70 percent of the vote in Lofa County, where the UP Standard-bearer hails from. He also highlighted the party’s strong performance in various other counties.
The former NEC officials called for acceptance of the election results and urged the NEC to ensure that the announced results are consistent with the tally sheets and records to maintain peace in the country. They emphasized the importance of protecting the will of the people in the electoral process.