The standard bearer of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) will be protecting his own votes in the November 7 runoff by serving as a poll watcher during the elections.

This decision, according to the Coalition’s Youth Wing Chairman, Jefferson Koijee, is a resultant of the many irregularities and alleged electoral fraud witnessed during the October 10 presidential and legislative elections.

“Amb. Weah has been listed as one of the poll watchers. He has made himself available to serve as one of the poll watchers. Every Liberian must be prepared to protect their votes and he is going to lead by example,” Koijee told FrontPageAfrica.

According to him, Senator Weah’s presence at a polling station shows the level at which the CDC will not condone “voters manipulation or infiltration to steal votes”.

Koijee: “Amb. Weah serving as a poll watcher is a clear manifestation of our preparedness and our sophistication to jealously protect our votes.”

Last Thursday, the CDC raised concerns of their votes from a polling center at G.W. Gibson Senior High School on the Capitol By-Pass in Monrovia being tampered with.

In a statement, the Coalition disclosed that evidence of electoral fraud was discovered at the G.W. Gibson polling precinct, polling place number 04, voting precinct code 30409, Montserrado District #8.

“While conducting the counting at the National Tally Center located at the SKD Boulevard, our poll watchers noticed that the original tally sheet at the GW Gibson polling center, polling place #4, voting precinct code 30409, Montserrado County District #8, the CDC obtained a total of 180 votes while the Unity Party obtained 73 votes, but to the dismay of our poll watchers, NEC reduced CDC's vote to 10 from the original 180 votes obtained, and increased Unity Party's votes from the original 73 votes to 150.

“Upon discovering such egregious act carried on by staffs of the NEC, our polling agents quickly brought this to the attention of the NEC officials at the National Tally center, and fortunately, NEC Chairman Jerome Korkoya happened to have been visiting the center at the time of the discovery and it was brought to his attention; at which time the changes were made in the system to reflect the actual votes of 180 obtained by the CDC and the 73 obtained by the UP.”

The CDC asserted that though they remain committed to the Farmington River Peace Agreement, it wouldn’t allow their peaceful posture to be taken for granted.

“We expect the NEC to be neutral in these electoral process so as to safeguard the gains we have made towards peace and stability in Liberia. What we don't expect of them is provocation which is what is being perpetrated by them."

"It is my hope that NEC will put its acts together going into the run-off so that we all can continue to enjoy the peace and stability that Liberians are currently proud of,” the statement added.

The Director of Communications at the NEC, Henry B. Flomo, told FrontPageAfrica Wednesday, that while he is not aware of the incidence involving the reduction CDC votes from GW Gibson, the NEC takes no complaint lightly and they are seriously investigated.

According to him, the NEC has received several complaints on alleged electoral fraud and irregularities that have all been forwarded to the Hearing Office.

The All Liberian Party (ALP) and the Liberty Party (LP) have both raised concerns over votes tampering. For the ALP led by Mr. Benoni Urey, results coming out from Margibi, Bassa and Bong Counties did not represent his strength in those counties. He therefore filed a formal complaint with the NEC.

Liberty Party has called for a reelection, noting that November 10 elections did not meet the minimum requirement for the elections to be referred to as free, fair and transparent.