GRAND BASSA COUNTY – Deputy Executive Director at National Elections Commission (NEC), Atty. Nathan Garbie has clarified that the presentation of a ‘Letter of Intent’ to aspirants by NEC should not be considered a certificate.
Addressing journalists today in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County at the start of a 3-day media gathering to review and adopt the media code of conduct for elections reporting during the October 10, 2023, general elections, Atty. Garbie notes that no aspirant has yet been certificated to contest the October 10 General Elections, contrary to the impression being created by some aspirants who participated in the just-ended NEC Candidate Nomination Process.
It can be recalled, NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne Lansanah also emphasized a similar issue, saying that documents being displayed by some aspirants on social media and other networks to create the impression that they have been qualified and certificated as candidates to contest the elections, only confirms that they have returned their packages to the nomination committee and they are waiting for final screening before being qualified to contest in the elections.
During the Inter-Political Parties Consultative Committee (IPCC) on Friday, July 14, she said: “You cannot be governments in waiting and lie to the Liberian people. The documents being displayed are just receipts with the photo, date of birth, and logo of the aspirant, indicating that all of the information given to the commission are correct. Yet that person is not a candidate and has not been qualified to contest any elections.”
The NEC Chairperson continued: “Candidate nomination process has several steps that an aspirant must submit to before a determination of qualification is made.”
Madam Browne Lansanah narrated that following the determination, a preliminary list of qualified candidates is released, to be followed by the final list of candidates which will be published for public viewing.
