Observers who warned that national elections in Africa this year would be topsy-turvy are right. Just as the situation in Kenya continues to simmer, the Supreme Court in Liberia has ordered the National Elections Commission (NEC) to stay any and all actions in the pending runoff election scheduled for next Tuesday, in line with the Writ for Prohibition prayed for by the Liberty Party. The Liberty Party requested the Writ of Prohibition and a rerun of the October 10 presidential and legislative elections, citing mass irregularities and fraud.
The ruling Unity Party, the All Liberian Party and the Alternative National Congress have all joined the Liberty Party’s pursuit for a rerun of the October 10 polls. Former soccer legend and Senator of Montserrado County, George Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the country’s Vice- President, Joseph Boakai of the Unity Party were poised to contest the runoff election next Tuesday.
The Chief Justice and his associates were tight-lipped Tuesday evening after their deliberation, but Mr. Ambrose Nmah, Communications Director at the Temple of Justice told reporters that the Bench had not come out with any decision yet. “No decision has been reached yet; as you are aware some of the justices were not in the country, they only arrived today and came here straight from the airport to receive briefing on the case,” he said.
However, the Supreme Court, last Tuesday, issued the writ of prohibition prayed for by the Liberty Party which effectively puts a halt to the runoff election until the Liberty Party’s case and any other appeal has been exhausted. “This means that the runoff will be scheduled after the whole matter, if LP loses. If LP wins, whole new elections could be ordered. This could usher in the possibility of an interim government which some activists have been pushing as President Sirleaf’s tenure will end on the 18th of January, 2018.
Portion of the writ of prohibition reads thus “You are commanded to instruct the Respondents to stay any and all actions in respect to the pending run-off Election scheduled for November 7, 2017, pending the disposition by the Supreme Court of the Petitioners Petition.
“You will further inform the parties that given the constitutional issues raised in the petition, coupled with the fact that election matters are to be expeditiously heard and determined, that upon service of this Writ and Returns thereto, the case is hereby docketed for the urgent disposition by the Bench en banc.”
The National Elections Commission was also ordered to file their returns by Thursday, November 2, 2017. Chief Justice Francis S. Korkpor and Associate Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh were out of the country, but rushed to the Temple of Justice directly from the airport upon their arrival, last Tuesday.
According to Senator Weah, having been in politics over the past 12 years, he understands the position and has felt the way the Standard Bearer of the ruling Unity Party, Vice President Joseph Boakai feels, for which he is joining the Liberty Party to call for a rerun of the October 10 elections. He, however, noted that for the love of the country, he allowed peace and stability to supersede his quest for state power, despite being convinced that the both 2005 and 2011 elections were not credible.
“I’ve played my part, I’ve allowed the national government of Madam Sirleaf and the beneficiary Joseph Boakai to have stability to show their work,” he said. While the ruling Unity Party and its cohorts are calling for the dissolution of the NEC, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf announced her confidence in National Elections Commission and the Judiciary, as well to handle election-related complaints impartially.
