LP and ANC Insist On Keeping Rejected Veeps On Ballot
As NEC Gives 10 Days To LP and ANC for New Veep Search
By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor
The National Election Commission (NEC) recently rejected Harrison Karnwea as vice presidential Running mate of Charles Brumskine and also rejected Jeremiah Sulunteh as vice presidential running mate for Alternative National Congress’ Alexander Cummings. The two parties have rejected the decision of the NEC and have vowed that the two men will be on the ballot papers during October 10th elections.
Mr. Darious Dillon, Vice Chairman of the Liberty Party said over the weekend that his vice standard bearer will be on the ballot come what may. Though, he did not further, elaborate, but it is believed that the Liberty Party is seeking legal redress.
For his party, National Chairman of the ANC, Mr. Orishell Gould said his party is studying the matter keenly will engaged the process gently. He assured his partisans that the Ambassador Sulunteh would be on the ballot.
The National Elections Commission (NEC) of Liberia is getting tougher with individuals seeking elective offices. The NEC landed its axe in Monrovia when it rejected Liberty Party’s Harrison Karnwea and Alternative National Congress’ Jeremiah Sulunteh.
Harrison Karnwea is Vice Presidential running mate of Liberty Party’s Standard-bearer Charles Brumskine, and Jeremiah Sulunteh is Vice Presidential running mate for Alternative National Congress’ Alexander Cummings. Karnwea hails from Nimba County, while Sulunteh is citizen of Bong County. Karnwea submitted his nomination sheet before he was rejected.
All three men were disqualified because they are in violation of the Code of Conduct, Section 5.1 and 5.2, which require appointed government officials to resign three years before contesting for elective office. All three men failed to comply with the Code Conduct.
It is not yet known whether or not the National Election Commission will also nail Alexander Cummings, who did not resign his position as Board member for a public corporation. Former Central Bank Governor Mill Jones is being wrapped with the code of conduct debate that he is also in violation. The NEC has not made any decision on the two presidential aspirants as yet.
Meanwhile NEC has extended by 10 days the candidate nomination process, taking place at the SKD Sports Complex outside Monrovia.
The cardinal electoral date is meant to give political parties and independent candidates the platform for inclusion on the ballot papers for the October elections.
According to a press release issued in Monrovia, over the weekend, it started on June 19, 2017 and should have folded on Tuesday July 11, 2017. The process runs from Mondays to Saturdays, 9am-5pm.
In the astuteness of the Commission, and considering the level of enthusiasm on the part of political parties and aspirants, coupled with the statutory demands relating the 50% candidate requirement and the 30% gender requirement for each party, the Commission added additional days.
Section 4.5-Nomination of candidates- (1a) of the New Elections Law of Liberia states: the list of candidates sent by a political to the Commission for election must include a candidate for at least half of all the constituencies in the election. (1b). A political party or coalition in its submission to the Commission, of its list of candidates for an election should endeavor to ensure the governing body and its list of candidates has no less than 30% of its members from each gender.
With the additional days, the Commission hopes the parties would be able to satisfy the above statutory requirements.
Meanwhile, the Commission has lauded political parties that are frantically guaranteeing mammoth women participation in the October elections.
From the start of the nomination to the closed of day on Thursday July 6, 2017, the team had recorded a total of 465 aspirants, 5 presidential aspirants from the All Liberia Party (ALP), Alternative National Congress (ANC), Liberty Party (LP), and the United Peoples Party (UPP), as well as an independent aspirant.
Four vice presidential aspirants from the ANC, LP, UPP and the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE) were also processed. Out of the 465 aspirants recorded, 385 are males and 80 are females. And, a total of 47 independent aspirants were processed, while 456 representative aspirants and 418 political party aspirants were processed.
