LEON statement on NEC adjudication of Complaints

The Liberia Election Observation Network – LEON – is deeply concerned about the way  in which criminal procedures are being used by lawyers acting on behalf of  complainants which has caused the long delays in adjudication of these complaints. LEON is also concerned about the length of time it has taken for the Board to issue its  judgement in the Gbarpolu case and calls for investigations to encompass wrongs  committed that may have caused the incident that forms the complaint. 

There has been an unusually large volume of complaints in these Special Senatorial elections  and two by elections with 16 candidates filing in their complaints with the NEC. The number  of complaints compared to previous elections is unprecedented, which coupled with the slow  pace of hearings raises concerns as we move towards 2023 when the number of candidates  is likely to be many times greater. By trying to give due process to the candidates NEC  hearings officers are allowing an overly legal process that has led to The Liberian Senate  admonishing the NEC for being beyond its’ constitutionally mandated timeline for deciding  complaints