President George Weah on Monday nominated Davidetta Browne Lansanah as chairman of the National Elections Commission (NEC). However, the main opposition front, the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), has kicked against her appointment as too partisan.
She is a veteran broadcast journalist and has worked at the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS), Star Radio and the Talking Drum Studio.
She worked for many years as a national communications officer with the United Nations and as associate gender officer with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
The president also nominated Councillor Teplah Reeves as co-chairman of the NEC. She is to replace Davidetta Browne Lansanah, who previously held that job. Browne Lansanah was subsequently appointed as acting chair of the Commission after President Weah withdrew the nomination of the then chairman-designate, Councillor Ndubusi Nwabudike.
Hunt for balance
Commissioner Browne Lansanah holds a Master of Public Administration degree in public sector management from the Cuttington University Graduate School in Liberia.
Liberia’s biggest opposition bloc says it sees a partisan NEC and will soon begin engagements with the appropriate authorities to make the president rescind his decision or have the Senate reject the nominations.
Speaking to the FrontPageAfrica, Aloysius Toe, head of secretariat for the opposition CPP, recalled that Browne Lasanah was first nominated to the NEC following a recommendation to former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Toe explained that in 2011 when the former NEC chairman, Councillor Jerome Korkoyah, was nominated, the opposition at the time expressed widespread dissatisfactions over Korkoyah’s membership of the Unity Party, especially as he had contested the election for a Bong County seat in the House of Representatives but lost.
Despite proof produced to show that Councillor Korkoyah had terminated his membership with the Unity Party, the governing party at the time, Johnson Sirleaf offered Weah, who was then the biggest opposition leader, the opportunity to nominate an individual to serve as NEC commissioner.
The former president was attempting to bring balance to the NEC. Weah then recommended Browne Lasanah, who was subsequently nominated as one of the NEC’s commissioners.
