Liberia: NEC Postpones Speaker Chambers’ Election Case

The National Elections Commission (NEC) has decided to postpone the hearing of the election case between House Speaker Bhofal Chambers and his rival Anthony Williams. The case, which began on Tuesday, involves the election results from Maryland County Electoral District #2, where Williams has been announced as winner.

Since the October 10 presidential and legislative elections, Sodoken district has garnered attention for the wrong reasons due to allegations of ballot stuffing, including an incident where traditional chiefs allegedly used a country devil to take control of ballot boxes at a particular polling center.

Chambers has represented Maryland District #2 since 2006, but his quest for a fourth six-year term has been brutally resisted by Mr. Williams, a young former student leader.

Following the NEC’s announcement of poll results from the district, Chambers filed a complaint demanding a rerun of the election in some parts of his district, alleging ballot stuffing and interference by traditional leaders. Chambers’ legal team said it has evidence to support their claims.

Chambers’ lawyers claimed that their observers were chased out by the presence of a country devil, a traditional mask dancer used in most of Liberia’s rural areas by local leaders to exercise power.

The legal counsels for the complainant alleged that traditional chiefs brought out a country devil and took siege of ballot boxes at polling precinct #27020 in Old Sodoken, Maryland County. 

According to them, the precinct in question comprised two polling centers.

They further claimed to have evidence that there were more votes cast in that polling center instead of the regular 550 votes to be cast at a polling center.

Speaking to journalists at the NEC office in Sinkor, Speaker Chambers’ Political Officer, Mr. George Watkins, said Tuesday, October 24 was the date set aside to hear their complaint.

Watkins noted that they are going to follow all the legal processes.

However, the hearing was delayed because Williams requested more time to appear with his lawyers. Despite the delay, Chambers' Political Officer, Mr. George Watkins, expressed confidence in the legal process and urged supporters to remain calm and trust that the right actions will be taken.