LIBERIAN election chief resigns but urges opposition to take part in runoff
By Shout-Africa.com/Liberia Elections Report Project – James Fromayan says the CDC, which had made his resignation a precondition, must now make its case to the Liberian people on November 8.
Liberia Electoral Commission Chairman James Fromayan
The former chairman of Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC) says he hopes his resignation will encourage the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) to participate in the November 8th runoff election. James Fromayan resigned Sunday amid accusations he was biased in favor of incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and after an NEC letter, which he signed, stated the CDC received the highest vote total instead of the ruling Unity Party. Fromayan says the letter was the work of a “paid CDC agent” within the elections commission.
“I did sign the letter. The paid agent [who serves] on the commission [was responsible for] the letter. But, that is so inconsequential because the CDC knows that I gave the results of the election on Tuesday of last week. They did not take the lead. It’s clear; the records are there. But, the point here is that I’m saying I’m out of the picture. They [CDC] should have no excuse. Let them go and confront the Liberian people,” Fromayan said.
Fromayan identified the “paid agent” within the commission as Communications Chief, Bobby Livingstone, who was dismissed last week soon after the letter surfaced. His deputy, Nathan Mulbah, was suspended. Fromayan says Livingstone intentionally swapped results for the ruling Unity Party with those of the CDC. “This particular agent brought the letter. In fact, he wanted me to read it live on radio when I was reading the results on Tuesday, the 25th of October where he had the results swapped. He had put the UP (Unity Party) results to CDC [and the] UP results to CDC. I saw it, and it was Mr. Bobby Livingstone who brought it [up] and was insisting that I read [it] while I was giving my press briefing giving the results,” Fromayan said.
In a ruling, the NEC Board of Commissioners reportedly said Livingstone and Mulbah drafted the letter and failed to correct what the board called an “inadvertent error” after it was detected. “Instead, they bypassed the system and inserted the documents in question among several documents that were presented to the chairman for signature,” the NEC Board reportedly said. The former elections chief said, after he confronted Livingstone about the alleged swapping of the results, Livingstone brought a corrected version of the letter the following day which he [Fromayan] signed believing that the necessary correction had been made.
“Where I sit, I have volumes of documents coming before me. So, I will not deny that signature, but what I am saying is that did not warrant anything. There was nothing wrong in terms of changing results; we didn’t alter any figure because the results, what the people (parties) earned is public record,” Fromayan said. Fromayan said he did not violate any Liberian law to warrant his resignation.“But, as we approach the runoff election, the Congress for Democratic Change has made my resignation as a precondition for their participation in the electoral process. So, since they feel that I am the problem, then I say fine, let me step down so that Mr. Tubman [CDC presidential candidate] and his people can join the runoff election,” he said.
In a another related development The opposition candidate in next week’s run-off in Liberia, Winston Tubman, has welcomed the resignation of the election head after fraud allegations. Mr Tubman, a former UN diplomat, said his party would decide later on Monday whether it would now call off its planned boycott of the 8 November vote.James Fromayan said he was stepping down because he did not want to be an “obstacle” to the run-off. Mr Tubman is facing Nobel Peace laureate Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
She became Africa’s first female elected head of state after the 2005 elections following the end of Liberia’s 14-year civil war.Mr Tubman’s Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) had demanded Mr Fromayan’s resignation, saying it would not take part in the run-off if he remained in his post.It alleged widespread fraud in last month’s first round.
Continue reading the main story Liberia’s presidential rivalsEllen Johnson Sirleaf:Africa’s first female elected head of state ,Harvard-trained economist Finance minister before Samuel Doe’s 1980 coup. Twice forced into exile Initially backed then-rebel leader Charles Taylor before falling out with him Won 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for helping end Liberian conflict Winston Tubman: Nephew of Liberia’s longest-serving President William Tubman Harvard-trained lawyer Justice minister under Samuel Doe UN envoy to Somalia from 2002 to 2005 Came fourth in 2005 election Running mate is ex-football star George Weah.
“We presented photos of ballot boxes which had been tampered with by NEC [National Elections Commission] employees,” CDC campaign manager George Solo told the AFP news agency.”We also have the issue of tally sheets scratched out and their numbers changed. Old people wanted to vote for certain people but NEC workers were not open to assisting them. Before stepping down, Mr Fromayan had rejected the fraud allegations. “I am resigning to give way to peace. I do not want to be the obstacle to the holding of the run-off election,” he said in his resignation letter. His deputy Elizabeth Nelson takes his place.These are the first post-war elections organised by Liberians – the previous poll was run by the UN, which still has some 8,000 peacekeepers in the country. Mrs Sirleaf gained 44% against 32% for Mr Tubman. A candidate needs most than 50% for outright victory. Mr Tubman’s running mate is former footballer George Weah, who was defeated by Mrs Sirleaf in the 2005 poll. Former rebel leader Prince Johnson, who came third with 12%, has urged his supporters to back Mrs Sirleaf.
The UN Security Council stressed on Wednesday council “the importance of peaceful, credible and transparent elections” and encouraged Liberian and international groups to deploy as many observers as possible to monitor the second round of voting. About 800 foreign monitors and 4,000 local observers were on the ground for the first round, largely praising the smooth and peaceful conduct of the poll.
