By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor in Monrovia
The ruling Unity Party is furious and is threatening to ensure that it mount the necessary pressure strong enough to force National Elections Commission (NEC) Chairman Jerome Korkoya to resign. The UP says Chairman Korkoya cannot preside over the run-off election.
Unity Party Chairman Wilmont Paye made the threat over the weekend during a strategy meeting the NEC had called and invited the UP and the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) to participate in finding the best ways forward for the holding of a free, fair, transparent and credible run-off. Our sources said the electoral house had invited the UP and CDC to brainstorm following the opinion of the Supreme Court on the weekend, Saturday, December 9.
It is all started when Chairman Korkoya was in the process of summarizing the activities of the commission and the progress being made so far that could lead of the conduct of a free, fair and transparent presidential run-off election.
Inside sources who witnessed the argument said the UPChairman, Mr. Paye could not hold back his emotion as he busted into fury describing NEC Chairman Korkoya as ‘inept’, which according to him, was highlighted in the opinion of the Supreme Court and there was no compromising.
Chairman Paye insisted that chairman Korkoya will not preside over the commission for the run-off election and that the Unity Party will amount all necessary tension on the commission to have Korkoya resigned.
Based on the statement of Chairman Paye, the meeting reportedly went into flames, with the Unity Party delegation led by its chairman, accompanied by its Senior Vice Chairman Neto Zarzar Lighe, Cole Bangalu, and defeated Montserrado County Representative Josiah Joekai on the offensive on the one hand, and the board of commissioners on the defensive move. The CDC delegation led by its National Secretary Augustus Janga Kowo, Lofa County Representative Moses Kollie, Dee Maxwell Kamuyan of the Movement for Economic Empowerment had no alternative but to mediate to bring the discussion smooth debate of the issues.
The tough talking Paye argues that Korkoya has reportedly shown his ineptitudes and biases toward the Unity Party in the October 10th Presidential election and it would be stupid enough for the Unity Party to go into the run-off election with the CDC while Korkoya still sits at the helm of authority at the electoral house.
When Chairman Paye was contacted via mobile phone on Sunday morning, his phone rang endlessly on several occasions.
The Spokesman of the Unity Party, Mr. Mo Ali, when contacted told our correspondent that he was not in the meeting but one of the mandates given to the chairman by the party was to seek the resignation of Chairman Korkoya. According to him, the Unity Party is very uncomfortable with Chairman Korkoya at the Commission in this crucial election.
When quizzed as to whether the UP would return to the court to have Chairman Korkoya removed, Ali intimated that the Supreme Court does not have such powers, but the UP is adequately prepared to battle for the resignation of Korkoya.
He noted that former NEC Chairman James Fromoyan blundered on the statistics of the 2011 Presidential elections results, the Congress for Democratic Change demanded for the resignation of Fromoyan and it was duly honored by the then chairman.
Ali vowed that under no circumstances the Unity Party will allow Korkoya preside on the run-off election.
When contacted, the Director for Press and Public Affairs of the National Elections Commission, Mr. Henry Boyd Flomo said he was not part of the meeting and it won’t be expedient for him to speak on the matter since he has not heard from his boss.
Meanwhile, during the meeting the Commission informed the parties that preparations are underway for the conduct of the election. The Commission ruled out the possibility of conducting the run-off on or before December 19th, instead the soonest time for the conduct could be December 26 which is still under discussion by the technical staffs of the commission.
Chairman Korkoya also informed the meeting that the Final Voter Roll listing is available for perusal by both Unity Party and the Coalition for Democratic Change, collaborating partners and the general public.
