🇱🇷Liberia Follows 🇰🇪Kenya's Fraud Election Allegations

Liberia's Supreme Court has suspended next week's presidential run-off election until it considers a challenge to first-round results by a losing candidate who has alleged fraud.

Third-place finisher Charles Brumskine's Liberty Party contested the results of last month's vote, which set up a Nov. 7 run-off between former soccer star George Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai.

The election is meant to usher in Liberia's first democratic transition since 1944, after periods of military rule and civil war that ended in 2003.

In a writ issued late on Tuesday, the court instructed the Liberty Party and the National Elections Commission to file briefs by Thursday. It was unclear if the court would rule before Nov. 7.

"This is a big step in the right direction," Liberty Party Chairman Benjamin Sanvee said in a statement. "Thankfully, the Court recognises the gravity of the issues, and has taken action in defence of the law and democracy." The court's decision points to the increasingly assertive role some African judiciaries are playing in overseeing elections.

Kenya's Supreme Court annulled the results of a presidential election in August, although the re-run last week was marred by an opposition boycott.

UCJ, UNILORIN.