UP Candidate Nya leads polls in Nimba

Provisional results from the just-ended Senatorial by-election in Nimba County have placed the former National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) executive ahead of his rivals.

By  Naneka A. Hoffman

Monrovia, April 25-The National Elections Commission (NEC) announces primarily the results of Tuesday, April 23, 2024, poorly attended senatorial by-election in Nimba County and Grand Gedeh District #1 Representative by-election. The ruling Unity Party Candidate, Nya D Twayen, Jr., took an early strong lead with 19,966 votes, while his main rival, Representative Samuel Kogar of the People Unification Party, trails behind with 3,737 votes.

NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne Lansanah says the results represent votes tallied from 157 of a total of 736 polling places in Nimba County.

In the Grand Gedeh County District#1 by-election, Madam Browne Lansanah says Candidate Jeremiah Sokan is leading with 3,168 votes.

She says the by-elections in both counties were conducted under a peaceful atmosphere and that tally process began Wednesday, 24 April 2024, at the two magisterial offices in Nimba (Sanniquellie, Upper Nimba) and (Tappita, Lower Nimba) and the Grand Gedeh magisterial office in Zwedru, respectively in the presence of candidate agents and independent observers. 

The NEC says tallied results from magisterial offices are being progressively transmitted to its Data Center at headquarters in Monrovia, where they are being collated for official announcement.

Speaking in a press briefing on Wednesday at the Headquarters of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Chairperson Browne Lansanah noted that the 2024 Nimba County Senatorial and Grand Gedeh District #1 Representative By-Elections were conducted on 23 April 2024 as planned. 

She recalls that the Commission was notified by the Liberian Senate on 1st February 2024 of the existence of a vacancy due to the election of former Nimba County Senator Jeremiah Kpan Koung as Vice President on the Joseph N. Boakai Presidential ticket in the Presidential and Legislative Elections of 10 October 2023 and the 14 November 2023 Presidential Run-off Election.

Similarly, she says on 2nd February 2024, the House of Representatives notified the Commission of a vacancy due to the passing of Honorable Erol Madison Gwion, Representative-elect of District #1, Grand Gedeh County, who was elected during the 10 October 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections. Editing by Jonathan Browne