The All Liberian Party (ALP) categorically rejects the nomination of Cllr. Ndubusi Nwabudike, Floyd Sayor and the rest to the Board of Commissioners of the National Elections Commission, and calls on the Liberian Senate to out rightly reject their nomination.
“The ALP believes, the nomination by President George Weah ignored the participation of political parties, civil society organizations and major stakeholders of the electoral process in our Country. Moreover, the Chairman designate of the National Elections Commission, according to Nigerian Laws, remains a Nigerian citizen in spite of his naturalization as a Liberian citizen.
“While Liberia’s Dual Citizenship Act is pending before the Legislature of the Republic of Liberia, President Weah is in error to have nominated an individual who holds dual citizenship under the circumstance. In the case of Mr. Floyd Sayor, Head of the Data Section of the National Elections Commission. he lacks the credibility and fairness to serve as a member of the Board of Commissioners at NEC.
“It can be recalled, in the case Telia Urey vs. National Elections Commission, the Chief Hearing Officer of NEC Cllr. Muana Ville’s ruling held Floyd Seyor liable of cheating and manipulation of the voter’s roll in favor of the CDC candidate Abu Kamara in the District 15 by-election in which NEC ordered a rerun of voting. Accordingly, Mr. Sayor should have by now been forwarded to court for criminal prosecution.
“It is therefore provocative and insulting to the country, political parties and civil society organizations that President Weah would elect to nominate a compromised individual who has demonstrated partisanship and a gross lack of integrity and transparency. The ruling further held that “the Director for the Data Center, Floyd Sayor, compromised the integrity of the District #15 polls by failing to obey instructions from his immediate boss, to quarantine ballots from the polling places where irregularities were said to have occurred and withhold the inclusion of votes from those areas from the final tally, until all such complaints had been addressed.”
“The ruling continued “The Hearing Officers, having asked witness Floyd Sayor to state the date he began the counting upon the close of the vote center, he did not. Additionally, the Hearing Officers were informed by witness Sayor that he disobeyed the order of his immediate Boss, Emma Togba, when he was told to quarantine the polling centers said to have had some problem as claimed by Telia Urey and her campaign team.”
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chapter Three (Ill) Sections 25 to 28, defines citizenship in three categories as follow: 1. Birth 2. Registration 3. Naturalization. By birth, it means a person born by Nigerian parent (s) either in Nigeria or outside of Nigeria. Therefore, this provision (of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) and coupled with his alleged acquisition of Liberian citizenship (under Liberia’s Naturalization Laws) qualify ClIr. Nwabudike as a holder of both Liberian and Nigerian citizenships.
“To even state the argument further, dual nationality of a Nigerian descent by birth and or parental nativity (as in the case of ClIr. Nwabudike) is allowed under Nigerian laws. Granted therefore, and, by virtue of his current status, ClIr. Nwabudike holds dual citizenships and Liberian Laws which are even harsher on natural born Liberians with dual nationalities from holding high public offices, mean the same laws must not be made to favor and be kind to naturalized citizen only because he/she enjoys presidential patronage as it is with Cllr, Nwabudike.
“This is degrading and humiliating to natural born Liberians with dual citizenships whose fate hangs in limbo and are being denied the opportunity of serving in public places. Our legal reliance against Cllr. Nwabudike’s confirmation is based on his ambiguous citizenship (s), among others, and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria especially Chapter III, which deals with citizenship.
“The All Liberian Party reminds Liberians that elections in our country are primarily held to consolidate national peace, security and stability. Elections are also the surest and cardinal democratic requirement for peaceful transition and transfer of power.
Liberia’s history is plagued with electoral issues that often landed our country into political, social and economic crisis. “The appointments by President Weah are a show case of gross partisanship and a lack of good will to the political process of our country.
“Regretfully, President Weah’s appointment of members of the Board of Commissioners comes at the time when the country is faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the lack of political will to mobilize timely resources for an election that is behind schedule. This is only intended to cause confusion in the country
“The National Elections Commission whose responsibility it is to conduct free, fair and transparent elections must be allowed by the Weah Administration to maintain its neutrality, sacredness and independence. The Liberian Senate must act appropriately to save our democracy, peace, stability and national integrity,” a press release issued by the Political Party.
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