• Variegated Reaction –Pres. Sirleaf Welcomes Supreme Court’s Ruling; But Decries Delay in Legal Proceeding, Source: The ANALYST
• CDC Will Win – Vice Standard Bearer Taylor Vows, Rallies Partisans, Source: The ANALYST
• EU Committed to Remain Neutral, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• NEC refutes Daily Observer story, says it is abiding by the Supreme Court’s ruling, Sources: INSIGHT and The INQUIRER
• Runoff manageable compared to rerun –BFF President Arkoi, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• 2 Nimba Lawmakers Lose Election Malpractice Complaints at NEC, Source: FrontPage Africa
• Rival parties of Nimba District #4 clash at NEC, Source: The INQUIRER
• Supreme Court rules in George Boley, other case today, Source: The INQUIRER
• EMOL welcomes resolution of dispute, Source: The INQUIRER
• Ellen’s major financial assets overseas, Source: New DEMOCRAT
• Vietnam, Liberia to triple bilateral trade, Source: New DEMOCRAT
• Rep-Elect Blasts Minister Werner’s “Education Tabata” Assertion, Source: FrontPage Africa
• Detaining Me Longer Could Kill Me … Kouwenhoven, Source: INSIGHT
• U.S. District Court to Begin Hearing Tom Woewiyu Trial Feb. 26, 2018, Source: FrontPage Africa

Variegated Reaction –Pres. Sirleaf Welcomes Supreme Court’s Ruling; But Decries Delay in Legal Proceeding, Source: The ANALYST

According to The Analyst, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has given a rather mixed reaction to the Supreme Court recently handed down opinion relative to the just-ended legal brawl over the 2017 post-election dispute. Speaking to journalists at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) shortly upon arrival from the United States, President Sirleaf said she welcomed the High Court’s ruling but at the same time expressed concern that the legal proceedings delayed activities leading to the conduct of the runoff election, whose timetable is yet to be determined by the National Elections Commission (NEC).

President Sirleaf did not say to what extent the delay in the adjudication of the matter affected the overall conduct of the impending runoff election, which has now been set by the NEC to take place on 26 December 2017 but it is unclear what precipitated the president’s latest remarks.

Political analysts are conjecturing the Liberian leader is extremely desperate to smoothly transfer power to the next elected president as a way of sustaining her 12 years’ legacy of sustained peace and security.

CDC Will Win – Vice Standard Bearer Taylor Vows, Rallies Partisans, Source: The ANALYST

Addressing journalists at her Capitol Building office barely few minutes following the announcement by the National Elections Commission (NEC) about the resumption of campaign activities in the country, the vice standard bearer of the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Senator Jewel Howard Taylor declared that victory is certain for the CDC in the 26 December polls, this paper reports.

Senator Taylor said the CDC is a people’s movement that continues to receive massive endorsements from political parties, CSOs, prominent stakeholders, traditional leaders, religious organizations as well as youth and student organizations. She said the CDC standard bearer, Senator George Weah, has shown mature leadership and that the Coalition has demonstrated to the Liberian people and the international community that it a party ready for governance, despite wicked provocations and fake news from those she described as “enemies of progress”.

Meanwhile, the CDC vice standard bearer has assured the governing Unity Party (UP) and its supporters that a CDC-led-government will not witch-hunt anybody and that it will be a government preoccupied with the building of a reconciled and prosperous Liberia for the benefit of all Liberians irrespective of religion, ethnicity, and social status.

EU Committed to Remain Neutral, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in Liberia says it remains committed to the confines of neutrality in the Liberian election as called for by the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation signed in 2005 at the United Nations.

According to the EU EOM, it assesses the electoral process against international obligations and commitments for democratic elections as well as the laws of Liberia, thereby making it binding to exercise neutrality in the political decision-making process of Liberia.

The EU EOM statement follows the Supreme Court ruling in the case filed by the opposition Liberty Party (LP) and backed by the governing Unity Party (UP), All Liberian Party (ALP), and the Alternative National Congress (ANC) on alleged fraud and irregularities in the elections. Read more

NEC refutes Daily Observer story, says it is abiding by the Supreme Court’s ruling, Sources: INSIGHT and The INQUIRER

The National Elections Commission (NEC) says it is abiding by last week Supreme Court order that it cleans its voter registration roll, contrary to a Daily Observer story that it is not implementing the order. In a press release issued Tuesday, the NEC stated that it welcomes the court ruling and it is fully committed to implementing it.  The electoral commission has meanwhile stated it was happy that the court was able to settle the legal battle in a timely manner.

Runoff manageable compared to rerun –BFF President Arkoi, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The president of the Better Future Foundation says Liberia lacks the capacity to adequately handle the aftermaths or repercussions of a rerun of the October 10 elections. According to Mr. Augustine Arkoi, a rerun would be embedded with “highly conflict sensitive issues which may be intractable to be resolved, especially when the outcome of the October polls is entirely annulled.” He said he welcomed the need for a runoff because it is manageable.

2 Nimba Lawmakers Lose Election Malpractice Complaints at NEC, Source: FrontPage Africa

Two incumbent lawmakers from Nimba County have lost complaint of alleged election mal-practices filed before the hearing officer of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Cllr. John Wonsehleay. But Larry Younquoi and Garrison Yealue have announced an appeal to the NEC Board of Commissioners, which follows a dismissal of their respective complaints by Cllr. Wonsehleay, on Monday and Tuesday respectively.

Younquoi of Nimba Electoral District #8 who complaint was dismissed by Wonsehleay on Monday had earlier complained to the electoral commission that due to an alleged malpractice carried out by supporters of his closest rivals representative-elect Saye Mianeh of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), Mianeh was able to secure an excess vote of 19 above him through manipulation.

While in Nimba Electoral District #4, Representative Garrison Yealue claimed to have won the election but the result was allegedly altered by the election magistrate Princeton Monmia in favor of his rival Gunpee Kargon. Read more

Rival parties of Nimba District #4 clash at NEC, Source: The INQUIRER

Supporters of rival candidates of Nimba County District #4 have clashed outside of the headquarters of the National Elections Commission (NEC)  in the Monrovia suburb of Sinkor just after a meeting with the commission’s hearing officer into the disputed result of the district’s election. The police were called in and managed to put the situation under control, according to report. It follows after the hearing officer, Cllr. John Wonsehleay ruled in favor of the district’s reprehensive-elect, Gunpee Kargon in the dispute, and said incumbent representative Garrison Yealue has no sufficient evidence to prove his claim of irregularities in the poll.

Supreme Court rules in George Boley, other case today, Source: The INQUIRER

The Supreme Court is expected to rule today, Wednesday in the Grand Gedeh Konobo District representative election dispute between Dr. George Boley and Patrick Bowah.  Bowah filed a complaint to the High Court alleging irregularities in the 10 October polls won by Boley.  Bowah who was reportedly favored to win has challenged the result and called for an investigation.

EMOL welcomes resolution of dispute, Source: The INQUIRER

A group, the Emancipation Movement of Liberia (EMOL) has applauded the Supreme Court for the resolution of the election dispute which complaint was filed by the opposition Liberty Party (LP) and the ruling Unity Party (UP).  In a release recently, EMOL said it is important for all Liberians to recognize that Liberia belongs to all Liberians regardless of what party they belong to.

Ellen’s major financial assets overseas, Source: New DEMOCRAT

The paper reports what it says is a large financial asset of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf deposited into foreign banks. According to her declaration form filed with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) in June this year, she stated that she has USD924,623 in banks in the United States and a little over one million Liberian dollars in Liberian banks. There has been no explanation from the first family why it has chosen to save money abroad, according to the paper.

Vietnam, Liberia to triple bilateral trade, Source: New DEMOCRAT

Liberia and Vietnam have affirmed their determination to double or triple their bilateral trade which is currently at around USD35.3 million annually. Foreign minister Marjon Kamara and Vietnam deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Phem Binh Minh both made the commitment at a meeting held Friday. Minister Kamara also appealed to Vietnam to lend support in the areas of agriculture, mining, infrastructure, and telecommunications.

Rep-Elect Blasts Minister Werner’s “Education Tabata” Assertion, Source: FrontPage Africa

A Montserrado County representative-elect has described as disdainful a “Tabata for leadership” comment made by education minister George Werner. Mr. Hanson Kiazolu said Mr. Werner does not deserve his post as education minister for making such ‘disgraceful outbursts’ about the country’s educational system. Kaizolu blasted the education minister terming his assertion as one that compromises the dignity of any state, which wants to compete with other nations educationally. He made the statement when he spoke at an event at the African Methodist Episcopal University in Monrovia. Read more

Detaining Me Longer Could Kill Me … Kouwenhoven, Source: INSIGHT

According to the Insight, a Dutch arms dealer convicted of selling weapons to former Liberian president Charles Taylor and of crimes against humanity says his further detention in Cape Town could prove fatal. Augustinus Petrus Kouwenhoven, 75, (popularly known in Liberia as ‘GUS’), says he is so ill that he has about three years left to live.

His affidavit containing these details was read out in the Cape Town Magistrate Court on Tuesday during the bail application. “My continued detention… could seriously prejudice my health and may even be fatal,” Kouwenhoven’s affidavit states. He was arrested early last Friday, 8 December 2017 in Fresnaye, Cape Town in South Africa.

In April this year, Kouwenhoven was convicted by the Dutch appeal court of being an accessory to war crimes and of selling weapons to Mr. Taylor during Liberia’s civil wars. He was sentenced to 19 years in jail. Kouwenhoven’s appeal against his sentence is expected to be heard in Holland in 2018.

U.S. District Court to Begin Hearing Tom Woewiyu Trial Feb. 26, 2018, Source: FrontPage Africa

The criminal case of former defense minister of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), Thomas Woewiyu has been assigned for Monday, 26 February 2018 by the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “In The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, take notice that the entitled case has been set for a specially listed jury trial, in the United States District Court, United State Courthouse, 601 Market Street, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, on Monday, February 26, 2018 at 10:am before the Honorable Anita B. Brody, in Courtroom 7-B on the 7th floor,” the Court added.

Mr. Woewiyu was arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Federal Bureau of Investigation at Newark Airport on his return from Liberia and charged him with lying by failing to disclose his alleged affiliation with a “violent political group in Liberia”. Read more

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