[ 2011-10-16 ]

Liberian opposition rejects election results, claiming fraud
MONROVIA (AFP) - Liberia on Saturday closed its
borders after the opposition rejected as "flawed"
provisional election results placing incumbent
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, this year's Nobel
Peace Laureate, in the lead.

The west African country, which suffered two
devastating back-to-back civil wars, closed its
borders with Ivory Coast, Guinea and Sierra Leone,
a security source told AFP.

Sirleaf had mustered 44.6 percent of the vote with
more than half of polling stations tallied after
71,1 percent of the votes were counted, the
National Elections Commission said.

"We declare the results being reported by NEC as
flawed and consequently declared null and void," a
joint statement from nine opposition parties
said.

"We declare that all our party agents assigned at
NEC in all capacities to withdraw effective
immediately," it also said.

The opposition statement claimed there was "a
calculated and deliberate act by NEC to rig these
elections in favour of President Johnson Sirleaf
and the Unity Party."

"If the process continues we will not accept the
results," the statement also said, while calling
on all supporters to attend "a mass meeting" on
Sunday.

Former diplomat Winston Tubman stood second with
31.4 percent. If Johnson's support stays below 50
percent, she will lack the majority needed to
avoid a run-off election.

Tubman's Congress for Democratic Change party
signed the statement, as did the National Union
for Democratic Progress of former warlord Prince
Johnson, who ranked third with 11.2 percent
according to the latest results.

The opposition move follows a fire overnight in
offices of Sireleaf's Unity Party in a Monrovia
district. Police chief Al Karlay said it was not
yet known if the blaze was deliberate.

With a run-off election looming, Johnson looked
poised to become a surprise kingmaker.

Voter turnout stood at around 70 percent. The
elections commission reported a high number of
invalid votes.

The election, seen as key to cementing the
country's fragile eight-year peace after two
back-to-back civil wars, was lauded as peaceful by
the United Nations and African observers.

Tubman had alleged ballot stuffing, but election
officials said no official complaint had been
filed.

Observers from the Carter Center urged parties not
to make any statements concerning the results
until the process was complete.

The electoral commission has until October 26 to
announce the final results.

International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis
Moreno-Ocampo's office in The Hague said Friday he
was closely monitoring election-related
developments.

"We will pay close attention to the actions and
statements of the political class, and in
particular to the presidential candidates,
including after the elections.

"Resorting to violence will not be tolerated,"
said a statement.

Sirleaf was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace prize
just days before Tuesday's vote, for her work in
rebuilding the country and promoting women's
rights after the civil war in which some 250,000
people were killed.

Source - AFP

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