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Members of the press and the Liberian populace, staff of the National Elections Commission have come with profound thanks to the President His Excellency Joseph Nyumah Boakai, for the bold and decisive step taken for the indefinite suspension of the chairperson, madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah.
The President acted within the scope of his legal authority as provided by law, because the law provides for the removal of the NEC chairperson for a cause. In the instant case, Madam Chairperson has provided adequate reasons for her own removal but the president being as generous as he is, rewarded her with an indefinite suspension in order to restore calm and stability to the Commission.
This news has brought relief to the entire workforce, especially the 25 dismissed employees. There are concerns out in the public regarding the justification of the chairperson’s suspension that we believe need to be addressed.
We like to provide detailed information on events at the Commission:
1. Over the period of five (5) years, the workforce has experienced nothing but an authoritarian rule at the hands of chairperson Lansanah, characterized by wanton corruption for which she was indicted by the LACC.
2. Staff are treated with no respect, to the point where when opinions are expressed in meetings, it is treated as an affront and subjected to internal investigation and eventually leads to dismissal.
3. At the level of the Board, the chairperson has taken a dominant posture so much so that plenary sessions have been reduced into chat room discussions.
4. In most instances, travels intended for staff of the Commission are singlehandedly made by the Chairperson. Upon her return, there is hardly any report made.
5. Staff of the Commission were transferred to different sections without the knowledge and approval of the rest of the Commissioners.
6. This Chairperson was head of the budget committee, Cash committee, Procurement Committee; she single- handedly headed everything that had to do with cash, procurement and the rest. To an extent where she concocted arrangements to remove monies from the Commission’s account with no delivery of election materials, through Unique solutions, a firm with no history of delivering election materials, owned and operated by a business man called Daniel Kolubah. We know for a fact that this same Kolubah has provided a non-functional solar system to the Commission that is worth over 200 thousand United States Dollars. The same Kolubah as a kickback to his phony deal, provided a complete set of solar system to the homes and
businesses of both the Chairperson and the Executive Director, Anthony K. Sengbe.
7. Other Commissioners were appointed to head by-elections, but the budget and cash was controlled by her and the executive director.
8. She sidelined directors that she did not like, and dealt with their deputies, completely disrespecting their office, at an instance leading to frustration of heads of sections.
9. The Chairperson in this week, unilaterally merged several sections, thereby dismantling the entire organogram of the Commission.
Over the past 3 months, the NEC has been marred in a toxic work environment and an institutional crisis. Human and work relations have been bruised and broken, because of the suspended chairperson’s unilateral and dictatorial management style and her flagrant disregard for the rule of law.
She has over the years demonstrated her penchant for the violation of laid down procedures and statutes governing the management and operations of the Commission. She did not only exhibit disrespect for her fellow commissioners but also disregarded them for over the last five years and most recently
she has shown similar behavior to the Executive. She abrogated unto herself what the law has ascribed to the seven (7) commissioners in violation of sections 2.10(D) and 2.4 of the 1986 New Elections Law.
While we did not expect politicians, especially those from the opposition to hail and clap for the president for hearing the cry of the staff of the Commission, by removing the burden we have been carrying for years, they should have at least been concerned about the health of our country’s election house, the bridge between peace and anarchy in Liberia. It is disgusting to note that politicians such as the likes of Musa Bility, Acarious Gray and others are politicizing a matter of human rights and national security, in support of a corrupt indictee.
Since the inception of this unwarranted crisis, operations and regular work activities have been paralyzed for nearly three months. The NEC’s partners such as the UNDP have scaled down their operations at the NEC due to leadership failure and the unfriendly work environment.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the suspended Chairperson of the NEC has the tendency and characteristics of faking remorse under pressure, but becomes extremely vindictive when pressure is relaxed or lifted. This person, who has shown herself to be a saint to most of you out in the public is the devil’s incarnate. All the years she has stayed at the Commission as a commissioner and now the Chairperson are marked by an authoritarian rule and criminal maneuvering.
In lieu of this, we wish to appeal to the President that while the suspension is in force, a comprehensive audit of the NEC is commissioned ASAP, as indicated in the 3- count resolution submitted to the office of the President on November 11, 2024.
We also want to bring to fore the manipulative mechanisms being orchestrated against common Liberians by people in high places in close proximity of the Presidency, especially Dr. Augustine Konneh. We also understand there is an alleged collusion between the Executive Director Anthony K. Sengbe and the Minister of Finance, Mr. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, a kinsman to Mr. Sengbe with a long standing relationship.
Finally, now that the President has played his role by truly rescuing the NEC from the hands of a tyranny, we call on the entire workforce of the Commission to return to a full and regular work schedule, beginning Monday January 20, 2025.
We also call on our partners, particularly the UNDP, to commence the process of re-engagement with the Commission in preparation for the pending By-Election in Nimba County.
THANK YOU. MAY GOD BLESS THE LAND FROM THE HANDS OF WICKED INDIVIDUALS AND SAFE THE STATE.
