MONROVIA, LIBERIA-The Supreme Court of Liberia has halted the National Referendum slated for December 8, this year.
The Court, in its ruling Wednesday, November 18, 2020, said the National Elections Commission has proceeded contrary to joint Resolution LEG-002/2019 of the Legislature, and Article 92 of the Liberian Constitution.
The ruling indicated that NEC deviated from the clear language of the Resolution of the Legislature, by combining and condensing the eight prepositions into three categories, which are contrary to the provision of Article 92 of the Liberian Constitution.
Article 92 specifically mandates the Commission to ensure that each of the eight prepositions be stated separately on the ballot, to afford voters the opportunity to exercise their right of choice, thereby proceeding wrongly.
The Collaborating Political Parties filed a petition for writ of prohibition against NEC and the Liberian Government, through the Justice Ministry to stop the referendum.
The CPP Legal Team earlier to the court that there was not sufficient awareness created for the holding of the Referendum, stressing that sensitizing the citizens should be done for a year.
Meanwhile, the National Elections Commission has declared campaign activities opened for the 2020 December 8 Mid-Term Senatorial and Representative By-Elections.
Campaign activities should have commenced on October 10, 2020, but was temporarily halted on the order of the Supreme Court of Liberia from a petition from former Margibi County Senatorial Aspirant, Mulbah Jackollie.
Speaking at a news conference Monday, November 16, 2020, in Monrovia, NEC Chairperson, Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, said campaign activities will now run from Wednesday, November 18 to December 6 at 12 midnight.
Mrs. Browne-Lansanah disclosed that a total of one-hundred-thirty-four candidates have been qualified to contest in the Senatorial Election and the two Representative By-Elections for Montserrado and Sinoe Counties.
Meanwhile, the NEC Chairperson has reiterated that the Commission will not allow campaign activities to be carried out in the same area on the same day by candidates, to avoid violence.
In a related development, the National Campaign Chairman of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) said:” The party is hopeful of winning the entire fifteen counties of the Country.”
Representative Acarus Gray said the CDC has put forth candidates in the December 8 Mid-Term Senatorial Election that have the qualities to win in their respective Counties.
Representative Gray said the National Campaign Team will work along with all CDC candidates to secure their victories come December 8.
He told ELBC that the Campaign Team has already begun vigorous mobilization to ensure that the CDC wins the entire fifteen Counties.
