The Executive Mansion: Too Close, Yet Far
-Will Politicians Move with Weah or Ellen?

 

By: Lewis K. Glay

 

 

Forum
Monrovia, Liberia

Distributed by

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

Posted October 18, 2005

 

The race to the Executive Mansion which began on 11 October 2005 appears to be tortuous taking into consideration the supports given the individual presidential candidates by the Liberian voters in the ongoing elections. However, the unfolding political variables suggest that the seat at the Executive Mansion is too close but still far for these contending candidates as the verdict of the people remains suspended.

The provisional election results being released by the National Elections Commission (NEC) have telling evidence that the round-off to 2005 general and presidential elections is certain as no one presidential candidate can clinch the 50% over-all vote plus one.

The two front contenders George Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of the Unity Party (UP) are poised to go for the second round given their accrued percentages in the elections.

This is where voters and political analysts are saying that the time for political lobbying is now rift among these politicians as to whom they should sway their allegiance to during the round-off period.

Since the elections were held, the NEC has consistently held press briefings at its media center to release preliminary results pouring in from polling centers across the country thereby acquainting the public through the media.

Congress for Democratic Change George Weah has kept top position in percentage since the second preliminary results were released on 12 October while Unity Party Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has taken second position, followed by Liberty Party Charles Brumskine who seems determined to overtake Mrs. Sirleaf for the second place while COTOL Varney Sherman and NDPL Winston Tubman are trailing behind.

The rise and fall position amongst presidential candidates and even legislative contenders based on tallies of incoming obtainable votes from the 15 political sub divisions has left the NEC and elections experts with the analysis that second round of the poll is glaring.

Results tallied and released by the NEC are being collected from 3,070 polling places across the country and as the process progresses, some counties are said to be completed thus giving legislative candidates who are in the lead the green light of victory.

Meanwhile, the commissioner has disclosed that each county office of NEC will print the “Declaration of Preliminary Tally Results (TO6)” form once all result forms have been entered into the county tally database.

Accordingly, the election magistrate’s office in the county will sign the document and post a copy there for public view while its original will be sent to the National Tally Center in Monrovia. Confirmation of the results will be made by the county electoral advisor.

The NEC also said because reports will ultimately cover our 3,000 polling places, it will make arrangements for political party and independent candidates’ representatives, the media, observers and the public in general to go to the National Tally Center by appointment to look through those documents to ensure transparency.

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