Brumskine, Others in Trouble

E.J. Nathaniel Daygbor & Winston Parley

Source: The New Dawn Liberia

Liberty Party’s Charles Brumskine and two others are said to be in trouble for violating the electoral laws, as stiff punishment awaits them.

The other culprits are Rev. Kennedy Sandy, an independent presidential aspirant and a representative aspirant of the ruling Unity Party.

The trio has been accused of engaging in consistent pre-election campaigns by the electoral body.

National Elections Commission or NEC Chair James Fromayan told reporters in Monrovia Tuesday that though there is no definite punishment on the books for pre-election campaign violators but one best option the electoral body could consider is denying such violators applications.

“The National Elections Commissions may not accept the applications of aspirants who may want to contest this election, but are violating electoral laws,” NEC boss said.

Giving specific instances where these aspirants have violated the electoral laws, Mr. Fromayan said Brumskine’s remarks at occasions have been characterized by campaign messages.

He made specific reference to the party’s recent convention held in Gbarnga, Bong County over the weekend at which time he (Brumskine) unveiled Bong County Sen. Franklin Siakor as his running mate.

He said Brumskine’s speech at that rally was full of pure campaign messages “convincing people why they should elect him and the Liberty Party and also trying to give reasons why the incumbent should be unseated.

This is not the time for these messages,” Fromayan said, adding “the commission will create time and open the avenue where every candidate who will be certificated by NEC will share their platform with the citizenry of the country.”

“These events are pre-campaigning under the electoral law and is punishable with maximum penalty of ban from the electoral process for these forthcoming elections,” he emphasized.

Commenting on Rev. Kennedy Sandy’s alleged pre- campaign spree, Mr. Fromayan indicated that all Sandy trips throughout the country are nothing but “campaign message”.

He told reporters that Rev. Sandy is not yet known by the Commission as candidate in the ensuring elections and that his continuous violation of electoral laws will leave NEC with no alternative but to deny him participation in the process.

“We don’t want to reach that far, looking at where we are from” after 15 years of undemocratic rule,” he said. But at the same time, he threatened that NEC will not compromise the laws of the land in the name of democracy and they are prepared to implement the laws when needed.

Mr. Fromayan added that the third culprit has been engaged in transporting electoral materials from one district to another.