CESTOS, RIVERCES, Jan. 16 (LINA) – After a recount, candidate Wellington Geevon Smith narrowly won Rivercess County Senatorial Election over Steve Tequah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
Smith is Rivercess County ex- Superintendent and a veteran media practitioner, who also served the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf-led Unity Party’ government as Assistant Minister of Information.
Senator-elect Smith, defeated his political rival with 3,302 votes, constituting 23.3 percent as Tequah came very close with a 3,248 votes that amounted to 23.0 percent.
The result revealed 54 votes margin between the two competitors, despite confidence expressed by the Tequah’ Election Team of possibly booking a seat at the Liberian Senate to comfortably relax side-by-side with Senator Francis Paye.
The recount was an outcome of a legal hearing caused by a complaint filed before the desk of the National Elections Commission (NEC) by the CDC Tequah’s team on claim of « fraud » in seven polling places, alleging being cheated.
The final recount was witnessed by observers of the candidates and political parties, the media and other independent observers and placed outgoing Senator, Dallas A. V. Gueh, in third place with 2,149 votes, while 2,056 votes secured the fourth spot for CPP-Liberty Party Gabriel Buchanan Smith.
According to the NEC, Rivercess County has 111 polling places, accounting for the total votes of 15,161 at the election sites; while invalid votes registered 1,014 and valid votes of 14,147.
Meanwhile, the election featured nine Candidates.
