Politics

Liberian run-off poll: Supreme Court rules 6 November

Brumskine: legal challenge delays Liberia’s run-off poll

The Supreme Court of Liberia has fixed Monday, Nov. 6, 2017 for ruling in an application seeking a re-run of the Oct. 10 presidential election in the West African country.

Opposition figure and presidential standard bearer of Liberty Party (LP), Mr Charles Brumskine, filed the application alleging fraud and irregularities in the first round and called for a re-run. Brumskine was third in the poll.

The apex court had on Tuesday put a temporary stay on preparations for the run-off presidential election, slated for Nov. 7 on the basis of Brumskine’s complaint.

Ex-football star, Mr George Weah, and incumbent Vice President Joseph Boakai, who were the two front runners in the first round, are scheduled to compete in the run-off.

Weah, who became the first non-European to win the European soccer player of the year award in 1995, won the first round of voting with 38.4 per cent to Boakai’s 28.8 per cent. Brumskine won nearly 10 per cent.

Spokesman of the Liberia National Elections Commission (NEC), Mr Henry Flomo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the run-off would be put on hold.

Henry Flomo, said “the election would definitely be delayed, but we don’t know for how long. The fact that the court would not rule until Monday is a delay.”

He said the court ruling on Monday would determine the commission’s next line of action.

The vote was meant to mark Liberia’s first democratic transition of power since 1944.

Following arguments by Brumskine and his Liberty Party and the National Elections Commission, Chief Justice Francis Korkpor said the court would give its decision on Monday at 10 a.m., one day before the scheduled poll.

 

 

 

NAN

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