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Amb. George Manneh Weah's Nationwide Address On Alleged Election Irregularities


The Inquirer (Monrovia)
DOCUMENT
November 16, 2005
Posted to the web November 16, 2005

I take this opportunity through the print and electronic media to once again
address the Liberian people and the International Community on the result of
the run-off presidential election. The day-to-day peaceful demonstration of our
partisans and supporters against the preliminary results has created concerns
and thus made it necessary for me to address you.
There is no doubt that the run-off election was rigged. There mere fact that we
have in our possession more than thirty ballots, pre-marked for the Unity
Party, forcibly taken from election officers at the polls on Election Day, and
exhibited to all Liberians through both the print and electronic media are
strong evidence that the run-off election was rigged. In addition to this, the
discrepancies on the tally sheets from polling places all over the country show
that the frauds pervaded the entire process. For example, electoral district
number 10 in Clara Town, Lower Montserrado County, Voting Precinct Code number
30144, 1,700 persons registered to vote. Because of this size of registered
voters, there were three polling places. For polling place number 1 alone, the
tally sheet shows that the election officers received 1,850 ballots.
Now, why was one out of three polling places given 150 ballots than the entire
Voting Precinct? How many ballots did the other two polling places receive?
On that same tally sheet, the election officers reported that they issued 1,200
of their 1,850 ballots to "another Polling Place"; but they never gave the
exact identity of this other polling place.
Coincidentally, the identical facts are revealed by the tally sheet for
electoral district number 11, Logan Town, Central Market, with Voting Precinct
Code Number 30114. This Voting Precinct has 1,682 registered voters and because
of this size of registered voters, there were three polling places. Polling
place number 01 alone reported receiving the same 1,850 ballots, as Polling
Place 1 of Clara Town, and also reported giving to "another Polling Place" the
same 1,200 ballots.
What these two tally sheets reveal is that the National Elections Commission
issued to the election officers ballots far in excess of what were required for
voting at each Voting Precinct. The ostensible reason is that the excess
ballots would be marked for the Unity Party and stuffed in the ballot boxes.
Let me cite another example revealed by another tally sheet from electoral
district number 11, Voting Precinct Code 30115, the Joanna Antor Elementary
& Junior High School. The tally sheet reveals that only 550 ballots were
received; no additional ballots were reported received during the day; yet, the
same tally sheet reports that 2,000 ballots were issued to "another Polling
Place". For the number of ballots taken from the ballot box for counting, the
tally sheet reports 1,321. What a discrepancy!
Let's go to a voting precinct in Margibi County. For electoral district number
3, Voting Precinct Code 24128, Brown Town, IDP Camp, Palava Hut, only 244
people were registered to vote. The tally sheet reveals that 900 ballots were
received by the election officers for Polling Place Number 01 alone. Why 900
ballots for an average of only 122 registered voters for the two polling places
for this Voting Precinct? The tally sheet also reveals that of the 900 ballots
received, 400 ballots were given to "another Polling Place", which, as all
other tally sheets in the cases described above, was never identified. The
tally sheet further reveals that 125 ballots were taken from the ballot box for
counting.
Now, for Polling Place Number 02 for the same Voting Precinct at Brown Town,
IDP Camp, Palava Hut, which should have the other 122 registered voters of the
total 244 registered voters, the tally sheet shows that the election officers
received 400 ballots and that 343 ballots were taken from the ballot box for
counting.
These two tally sheets for Margibi County reveal that even though Brown Town,
IDP Camp, Palava Hut only had 244 registered voters, yet 468 people "voted".
How does the NEC explain the excess 224 "voters" when the rule is that a person
shall vote only at the place where he registered?
I can go on and on, from tally sheet to tally sheet, all over Liberia showing
discrepancies and inconsistencies, which can only be explained by the
"stuffing" of the ballot boxes with ballots marked for Unity Party.
The obvious evidence of this massive fraud is the low voter turn-out at every
polling center; and yet the NEC's preliminary results reveal a percentage
turnout of voters comparable to the October 11 elections.
Surely, I can understand your frustrations; I can also understand your
anxieties; and I empathize with your demand for justice. I must, however,
admonish you that I decided to be a presidential candidate in these elections
in order to restore genuine peace to Liberia and to usher in collective
prosperity. And while your right to assembly, demonstrate in public places and
lay your grievances before public officials, such as the National Elections
Commission, is guaranteed by the Constitution, we must also acknowledge that
not all that is legal is always expedient. Public demonstrations in the streets
of Monrovia or elsewhere in protest of the run-off election results is not
expedient; it is not good for our fragile peace; it might even be
counterproductive to the legal process we have put in motion at the National
Elections Commission.
I therefore call on all our partisans and supporters to stop the public
demonstrations. Go home and rest assured that we have taken up the matter of
the frauds with the National Elections Commission. For genuine peace, for
Liberia and for your future, I ask you to please leave the streets and go homle
or to your various undertakings; don't demonstrate against the election
results. Of course, as things unfold, I shall return, from time to time, to
address you on developments and advise on the course of acton that is most
appropriate. Once again, if you believe in me, as your leader, please, please
heed to my call to leave the streets and stop the public demonstrations.
God Bless You and God Save Our Beloved Country.

   

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