IPNEWS:  Lawyers representing Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC) are to produce the Final Registration Roll (FRR) for the ensuing October 10, 2023, general Legislative and Presidential election on Friday, September 29.

According to IPNEWS reporter attending the conference today, Justice-in-Chamber Her Honor, Justice Jamesetta H. Wolokolie directed lawyers representing the NEC to produce in keeping with the law the Final Registration Roll (FRR).

This week, the opposition Unity Party, filed before Her Honor, Justice Jamesetta H. Wolokolie,  a writ of MANDAMUS, to compare the National Elections Commission (NEC), to produce the Final Registration Roll (FRR).

Another argument proffered by lawyers representing the Unity Party, was the disaggregation of registered voter at various voting Precincts from 2,000 registered voter in keeping with law.

Prior to this conference, there has been speculations in many quarters that the NEC had allegedly increased the number of registered voters to 4,000 per voting Precincts contrary to the setting of boundary harmonization by the Legislature.

Chapter 4 of the new election law, sub-section:  4.1(2):  voting Precincts:  which reads:

It may be recalled, Justice in Chamber at the Supreme Court of Liberia, Her Honor, Justice Jamesetta H. Wolokolie, on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, cited the National Elections Commission (NEC) by and thru its Executive Chairperson, Madam Davidetta Brown-Lassanah and all commissioners and officers for a conference with her on Thursday, September 28, at 3p.m. in connection with Unity Party’s petition for a Writ of Mandamus.

The nation’s highest court’s letter was directed at the Counsellor Moifee Kanneh, who represents the legal interests of the Commission.

The opposition Unity Party says that the NEC is in violation of Chapter 4 Section 4.1(2) of the Elections Law on the conduct of Elections Voting Precincts.

UP, which is a duly registered, certified and accredited political party under the laws of Liberia, has participated in every election dating back from 1985, 1997, 2005, 2011, 2017 and will be participating in the forthcoming Presidential and Legislative Elections slated for October 10, 2023.

“That on August 31^st, 2023, Appellant (UP) filed a complaint bringing to the attention of the National Elections Commission (NEC) 92 Voting Precincts with voting population over the numbers required by Section 4.1(2) of the New Elections Law of Liberia prior to the holding of the General and Presidential Elections scheduled for October 10, 2023,” UP told the Court among others.

There have been countless complaints of the election body allegedly refusing to publish the Final Registration Roll of eligible voters. UP recently staged a peaceful protest before the Commission; it demanded that the Commission publishes the roll.

Unity Party’s Standard bearer, Ambassador Joseph Nyema Boakai Tuesday, September 26, filed a Writ of Mandamus against the National Elections Commission (NEC) Chairperson, Madam Davidetta Brown Lansanah, for her alleged failure to publish the Final Registration Roll (FRR) or registered voters in the October 10, 2023, Presidential and Legislative Elections.

The Writ was filed at 11 a.m. before Chamber Justice Jamesetta  Wolokolie.

Unity Party, in its petitioner, prays for the issuance of the mandatory Writ of Mandamus compelling the NEC (Respondent) to perform its specified legal duties to have the FRR of certified voters by location published and distributed to political parties and independent candidates.

UP, which is one of the duly registered, certified, and accredited political parties in Liberia, has participated in every election dating back from 1985, 1997, 2005, and 2011, 2017 and will be participating in the October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections.

According to the UP, consistent with duties devolved on the NEC by the New Elections Laws and as well as by an Opinion of the Supreme Court, the NEC is mandated to publish and submit to political parties and independent candidates copies of the Final Registration Roll of all registered voters disaggregated by locations in every electoral district in the country.

The petitioner said, inconsistent with the 2023 Voter Registration Regulations, Final Registration Roll means a list of registered voters, who are qualified to vote that is produced following exhibition and decision(s) on voters’ appeal(s), claim(s), and challenges and required changes to the provisional registration roll.

Unity Party further mentioned that on August 29, 2023, the Chairperson of NEC appeared before the Senate under oath and faithfully promised to provide the FRR on the 18th of September 2023. But the NEC failed to live up to its statutory responsibility.

The former ruling Unity Party further said that a formal communication was addressed to the Chairperson of the National Elections Commission on September 18, 2023 requesting for the Final Registration Roll.

Moreover, petitioners say that consistent with Section 16.1 of the 2023 Voter Registration Regulations, NEC may take necessary measures to clean/correct any inaccuracies discovered on the voter roll.

They contend and say that Section 16.1 of the 2023 Voter Registration Regulations is a mandatory procedure that should be undertaken by NEC; and that any inaccuracies discovered on the voter roll should not be allowed by the court, and the court should declare it a mandatory process as it borders on the integrity of the votes.

Unity Party disclosed that since the pronouncement by Chairperson Lansanah that the FRR will be published to the public and issued to political parties and independent candidates on September 21, 2023, it has not been done. This, according to the party, amounts to an irregularity that will undermine the integrity of the votes on election day.