Independent Candidate Wellington Geevon Smith has won the controversial Rivercess County Senatorial election after the county’s second recount.
Rivercess county election officials completed the recount ordered by the National Elections Commission and sanctioned by Supreme Court after a legal challenge by candidate Steve Teequah.
The recount shows independent candidate Geevon Wellington Smith winning with 3332 votes –which represent 23.35% compare to his main competitor-Steve Tequah 3289 votes, 23.05%. This means the two candidates are apart with just 43 votes.
CPP candidate Gabriel Smith got additional valid votes totaling (2113, 14.81%) in the recount but felt short of pushing the ruling CDC candidate former Senator Dallas Gueh (2174, 15.24) from third to fourth spot.
Saturday’s recount of votes from all polling station in Rivercess, the second recount terming from a series of vote dispute challenges mounted by candidate Steve Tequah concluded on Sunday afternoon in Cestos City suggesting minor irregularities with vote count, but no evidence of widespread fraud, as alleged by Mr. Tequah and team.
“To reach this far, it wasn’t easy” said Mr Geevon Smith whose supporters for nearly an hour paraded the streets of Cestos City with jubilation.
Mr Smith told a local radio the processes of challenge to the outcome of the December election had come to an end and that “it is time for all of us to remain calm and focus on our county development”
Geevon, a Journalist, former Assistant Minister and Superintendent of Rivercess County under Ellen Sirleaf administration emphasized the difficulties he had faced with the prolonged election dispute litigation.
The result deals a fatal blow to Steve Tequah reported campaign funder– National Port Authority Managing Director Bill Twehway who was also accused by Sinoe county senator Milton Teahjay of giving $40.000 United States Dollars to the national elections commission for the recounting process in Rivercess.
It can be recalled Senator J. Milton Teahjay in Plenary of the Liberia Senate made a startling revelation that the National Port Authority (NPA) headed by Mr. Bill Twehway had committed to pay US$40,000 to the National Elections Commission for the purpose of recounting ballots in the county.
Source: Cable TV
