Liberia’s Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the re-run of the country’s October Presidential elections after it ruled that the evidence of fraud in the first elections was insufficient for its outright cancellation.
The ruling paves way for a second round run-off between former international soccer star, George Opong Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai who placed first and second respectively in the first elections.
Justice Phillip Banks while reading out the court’s decision said: “In the absence of sufficient evidence, the court cannot order a re-run of the elections.”
In a 4-1 decision by the Supreme Court, dissenting Judge, Justice Kabineh M. Ja’neh however said it was deeply concerning that his colleagues had failed to recognize the glaring discrepancies and evidences of gross irregularities in the electoral process leading up to and during the October polls.
The court also ordered that the country’s Electoral Commission must prohibit its Chairman and staff from speaking on any matter that may affect a party to the re-run and also fully comply with the electoral management laws of Liberia.
The date of the re-run would be determined and announced by the Commission which has also been ordered by the supreme Court to conduct critical reforms before the next elections.
George Weah topped the October poll with 38.4 percent of total cast valid votes while Boakai trailed behind with 28.8 percent but the country’s law requires that the President must get at least half of the votes cast to win.
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