By Bill W. Cooper
Montserrado County Senator, Abraham Darius Dillon, and the Standard Bearer of the Liberia National Union (LINU), Clarence Moniba, have raised concerns over the delay in the publishing of the Final Registration Roll (FRR) by the the National Elections Commission (NEC).
The FRR, according to the Commission’s own regulations, should have been made available to the public “30 days prior to the elections,” but as of today, the NEC has yet to release the vital document, prompting opposition politicians to question the Commission’s commitment to a free and fair election.
Furthermore, the demand for the NEC to publish the FRR also follows concerns raised by some political stakeholders, including Liberia’s Chief Imam, Ali Krayee, regarding the integrity of the electoral process, describing such as being a harbinger for chaos.
Speaking to a team of journalists over the weekend, at the NEC office in Monrovia, with his supporters during their protestation, the Montserrado County Senator, among other things, also argued that the publication of the FRR is paramount to upholding the democratic values of Liberia and ensuring a free and fair election.
Sen. Dillon during his explanation also made it clear that the demand for transparency is not an attack on the NEC, but rather, a call for accountability, stating, “We urge the NEC to understand that the publication of the FRR is essential for building trust among the electorate.”
“Because, with our crucial elections around the corner and looking back as to where we’ve been before, citizens deserve to have confidence in the credibility of the electoral process and the publishing of the FRR is one of the steps to free and fair elections,” the Senator added.
For his part, LINU Standard Bearer, Clarence Moniba, in a release issued over the weekend, said, “The National Elections Commission has not yet released the FRR, which is not an oversight but a flagrant disregard for the Voter Registration Regulations it is expected to uphold.”
The release added, “The NEC must also explain to the Liberian people why they have failed to meet this fundamental legal requirement. We demand answers, and we demand them now. The truth is that the Commission’s action is a recipe for chaos and undermines our democratic principles.”
According to Moniba, the people of Liberia deserve an electoral process that is beyond reproach, upholds the highest standards of transparency and accountability, and “ensures the accurate reflection of the people’s will in the results.”
He cited the violation of Section 16.7 of the ‘2023 Voter Registration Regulations’ by the electoral body as an inexcusable and deliberate attempt to undermine the fairness of the October 10 polls.
Section 16.7 of the regulation clearly states that the final voters’ role cannot be altered “by the National Election Commission within 30 days prior to an election, except when the Supreme Court orders.”
He noted further that the FRR plays a pivotal role in ensuring the fairness of elections, as it provides the public, candidates, and election monitors an opportunity to review and verify the accuracy of the voter list, thereby reducing the potential for irregularities or fraudulent practices.
“An early release knowing that changes cannot be made within 30 days to the election would have enhanced transparency and trust in the electoral process. But as of today, with less than 18 days remaining until the elections, the roll has not been released.”
“Therefore, I call on the authorities of NEC to immediately rectify this situation by publishing the FRR, in accordance with the law. The Liberian people have the right to know who is eligible to vote in these elections, and they deserve to have confidence in the accuracy of the voter roll,” Moniba added.
Meanwhile, prior to the political figures’ agitation, the Commission, through its Chairperson, Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, stated that the Commission, as has been done in the past elections, during which time the NEC made available electronic copies of the Final Registration Roll (FRR) to political parties, independent candidates, and other stakeholders, will make the FRR for 2023 general elections available to all concerned.
This, she stressed, that the NEC Technical team is working to have the Biometric Voter Roll (BVR) placed in a secure format, and same will be made available to all stakeholders as soon as possible.
Madam Browne-Lansanah added that the Commission also has a team of personnel working 24 hours on three shifts, to ensure that the FRR is printed and pasted at each of the 2,080 Voting Precincts, prior to Election Day in October.
As the demand for transparency intensifies, the eyes of the nation are now focused on the NEC, amidst the concerns from Sen. Dillon, Aspirant Moniba, and other prominent Liberians, because the publication of the final voter roll will not only allay doubts about the electoral process, but also contribute to fostering trust among the electorate and credibility of the elections.
