Pre-Campaigners Risk Disqualification

-NEC Chair Warns

By Esau J. Farr

Today, Wednesday October 3, 2018 is the deadline given to candidates in the pending by-elections in Sinoe and Montserrado to bring down all pre-campaign materials or risk being disqualified by the National Elections Commission, NEC.

Pre-campaign activities under the Electoral Laws of 2013 are any form of canvasing or soliciting votes or support for an impending election ahead of scheduled and pronounced official date for campaign activities by the National Elections Commission.

The warning was sounded Monday, October 1, 2018 at the Headquarters of the National Elections Commission by NEC Chairman, Cllr. Jerome Korkoyah in Sinkor, Monrovia.

Addressing a news conference Monday, Cllr. Korkoyah maintained that it was wrong for anyone or aspirant to put out billboard, banner, flyers or photos calling on people to vote them describing it as pre-campaign activities.

He warned those involved to immediately desist or warrant being disqualified by the elections house.

“We want to caution those who are engaged into pre-campaign activities to immediately desist. We are giving them up to Wednesday, October 3, 2018 as the deadline to bring down all of their pre-campaign materials or risk being disqualified by the NEC in line with the electoral laws of Liberia,” Cllr. Korkoyah said.

The NEC boss further informed the public that campaign for the two by-elections will begin on the 17^th of October and ends on November 18, 2018 at 12 midnight.

The by-elections are expected to take place on November 20, 2018 in the two counties (Sinoe and Montserrado).

Cllr. Korkoyah further informed journalists that nomination for the two by-elections is still ongoing, adding; that about seven forms have been picked up by seven aspirants in Montserrado County District #13 most of them being independent candidates while nine forms have been picked up for the Sinoe Senatorial By-Election with most of those applying for them being from political parties.

The Montserrado Electoral District #13 By-Election became necessary as a result of the election of Saah H. Joseph as Senator of Montserrado replacing George Weah who was elected as President of Liberia in the 2017 Representative and Presidential Elections while the Sinoe County Senatorial By-Election came as a result of the appointment of former Sinoe County Senator, Cllr. Joseph N. Nagbe as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia by President Weah who replaced retired Associate Justice, Cllr. Philip A. Z Banks.