UPDATE 1-Liberia opposition parties to reject poll results, official says
MONROVIA Oct 15 (Reuters) - Nine Liberian opposition
parties, including President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s two main
challengers, have said they will reject the results of this
week’s presidential election, alleging massive fraud, an
opposition official said.According to results released on Friday, Johnson-Sirleaf had
extended her lead with 45.4 percent of the votes, ahead of
Winston Tubman of the CDC party on 29.5 percent, but she was
still short of the outright majority required for a first-round
win.”We declare the results being reported by the National
Election Commission as fraud and (they) are consequently
declared null and void by all parties signatory to this
release,” according to a statement read over the phone on
Saturday to Reuters by a top CDC official.The official, who asked not to be named, said the statement
had been signed by nine parties representing eight of the
country’s 14 presidential candidates, including Tubman and
third-placed former rebel Prince Johnson.An official from the Carter Center, an election watchdog,
said they were aware of the statement and added that they had
not seen any evidence of fraud.The election commission said on Friday that about half the
ballots had been counted.The statement also called on opposition party
representatives following counting to withdraw from the process
and said that the parties would call on supporters to hold a
peaceful rally on Sunday, the official said.There was no immediate reaction from the election
commission.Voting on Tuesday passed generally peacefully and no
observer missions have flagged any serious irregularities in the
process so far.The election was Liberia’s first locally organised poll
since an on-and-off 1989-2003 conflict, and if smooth could pave
the way for billions of dollars in mining and oil investment.
