By Rufus Divine Brooks Jr.
Monrovia, Liberia – The National Elections Commission (NEC) has strongly condemned a protest at its Upper Bong County Magisterial Office on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, where young individuals reportedly disrupted operations and questioned the eligibility of elections officials.
Protesters carried placards and claimed that Elections Magistrates should only be appointed from the counties they serve.
In response, NEC issued a statement rejecting these claims as false, misleading, and inconsistent with Liberia’s Elections Law.
The Commission stressed that appointments are administrative and organizational, aimed at ensuring efficient, transparent, and credible electoral processes nationwide.
“There is no legal requirement that appointments be based on birthplace or native status,” the NEC statement affirmed.
The Commission highlighted current Upper Bong County Elections Magistrate, Mr. Alfred W. Tokpa, as a qualified and lawfully appointed official.
A veteran NEC employee and former Regional Coordinator, Mr. Tokpa meets all statutory requirements and exemplifies the Commission’s professional standards.
NEC also warned against actions that threaten its independence, stating: “We strongly denounce and condemn interference with the Commission’s lawful functions.”
The statement added that recurring disruptions could lead to legal action, with offenders facing the full weight of the law.
