IPNews-Monrovia: Unofficial tally results from Grand Kru County., rerun Senatorial election, says Independent Candidate Numene T. H. Bartekwa, is now in the lead with 22.8% of votes counted.

According to the report from Grand Kru, National Elections Commission (NEC), are nearing conclusion of the tallying of total votes casted, for further notification to NEC headquarters in Monrovia.

IPNews reporter covering the rerun Senatorial election, says Bartekwa, a former District No. 2 Representative, Grand Kru County, is in the lead by 100 votes, against LINU’s candidate Nathaniel Bahway.

NEC, on Wednesday January 13 2021 concluded a re-run election of the Special Senatorial Elections and Constitutional Referendum in three disputed areas in districts No. 1 and No. 2 in Grand Kru County, at the Beloken Town Hall, Wakpo Public School and Boluwein Town Hall with precincts code numbers 18050, 18024 and 18029 respectively.

The Re-run was as a result of claims of fraud raised by participating candidates in the Elections, including the Liberia National Union-LINU.

NEC Tally results released on Thursday January 14 2021 indicated that the 113 polling places in Grand Kru puts Independent candidate Candidate Numene T. H. Bartekwa in the lead with 3,679 votes constituting 22.8%, followed by Nathaniel N. Bahway a seated representative of District #1 with 3,597 votes 22.3%.

The other candidates including Alfred Toe Segbe 3,174, 19.7%, Incumbent Senator Peter Sonpon Coleman 3,061 votes 19.0%, Rosalind Segbe Tonne Sneh 1,026 votes 6.4%, William Wiah Tuider 545 votes 3.4%, Nicholas Doryen Wleh 746 votes 4.6%, Goerge Toe Washington 184 votes 1.1% and Lawrence Snor Clarke accumulating 101 votes which constitutes 0.6%.

The citizenry of Grand Kru are now awaiting the National Elections Commission (NEC) Chair Davidetta Browne Lassanah to officially pronounce the winner.

Currently, there are series of jubilation across the county as many are congratulating Numene Bartekwa for being victorious in the election.

Amidest the provisional results, the Liberia National Union,LINU, says it rejects the provisional results announced by the National Elections Commission-NEC, and has filed a formal rejection and request for recount of Wednesday’s, January 13,2021, ballots.

It can be recalled that on Sunday December 13, 2020 the local office of the National Elections Commission was hit with a protest from supporters of political candidates, thus leading to the destruction of properties, others been injured and halting the elections process in Grand Kru.

The tension forced NEC to sent an investigative team to the county and based on their findings, the election body held a meeting with stakeholders, including candidates and or their representatives resulting to the decision of a re-run in the three disputed precincts in the Grand Kru.

According to the report, the Liberia National Union,(LINU), filed a formal request for recount of ballots to the National Elections Magistrate, in Grand Kru, after it observed that votes were twist to favor victory for Independent Candidate Numene T.H. Bartekwa, a member also of the Congress for Democratic Change, CDC, who contested as Independent Candidate, after he lost to former Health Minister, Peter Coleman, during the CDC Grand Kru county, premieres.

Tuesday’s rerun of the Grand Kru midterm elections targeted a total of 900 votes in three election precincts.