SANNIQUELLIE, Nimba County – The National Election Magistrate Office in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, has come under attack by aggrieved citizens of District 4. It follows the order from the Supreme Court demanding the National Elections Commission (NEC) to conduct a recount in some parts of the 84 polling centers in Nimba County District 4.
By Franklin Doloquee/Nimba County
During the night of Friday, there was a huge gunfire at the backyard of the National Elections Commission magistrate office in Sanniquellie by people believed to be supporters of Representative Gunpue L Kargon, along with supporters of Ernest Manseah, a representative-elect for District 4.
Residents of Sanniquellie who live around the NEC local office told our Nimba County correspondent that the attackers used single-barrel pistols to carry out the act, but there have been no arrests made since the incident occurred, a police source told our correspondent.
The Sanniquellie residents who live around the NEC local office told our correspondent that since the Supreme Court announced a ruling in the electoral dispute in the District, there has been the movement of unidentified men touring around the NEC local office prior to the incident.
Speaking to reporters, Bill Bumie, spokesperson for Ernest Manseah, representative-elect for district number 4, Junior Nutuah Chairman, and Sampson Tougbay planning chairman accused Representative Gunpue L Kargon, along with his supporters, of being involved in the firing and planning to burn the Upper Nimba local office of the National Elections Commission in Sanniquellie.
They named Allen Zor, a teacher at the Nimba County University, as hosting over 300 men believed to be involved in the various incidents that the National Elections Sub-Office in Sanniquellie is experiencing.
The supporters of representative-elect Ernest Manseah expressed disappointment and frustration in the manner and forum district number 4 is currently going through.
According to them, due to the continuous increase of election cases in the district, including the current one, the district wasn’t represented in the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions alongside with the first sitting of lawmakers, including other committee members.
They told our correspondent that they have mandated and urged their supporters in the district to remain in their respective towns.
Our Nimba County correspondent has learned that district number 4 reported most of the election violence compared to the rest of the eight districts in the county.
According to our correspondent, the National Elections Commission has not yet announced a day for the recounts in Sanniquellie, but supporters of Representative Gunpue L Kargon, alongside with Representative-elect Ernest Manseah, are allegedly involved in the various violence against the NEC local office in Sanniquellie.
Front Page Africa has learned that due to the Friday firing of over five rounds of single-barrel guns and threats to burn the Upper Nimba local office of the National Elections Commission, the government has deployed a huge number of state security personnel to protect the building.
When contacted, Allen Zor, a teacher at the Nimba University, and supporters of Representative Gunpue L Kargon denied the report and turned it as far from the truth.
“I don’t want to listen to that, brother. I just returned from work, and I don’t have over 300 men as you told. It’s like people came to my home and searched if I had 300 men,” Allen Zor told our Nimba County correspondent.
Several supporters of Representative Gunpue L Kargon denied the report and told our correspondent that they are and will continue to remain peaceful until the process is over. They accused Representative-elect Ernest Manseah’s supporters of being involved in continued violence during and after the just-ended elections.