SANNIQUELLIE, Nimba – The Chairman of Good Governance Committee at the House of Representatives, Larry P. Younquoi said he foresees a serious “problem” if the proposed Local Governance Act is passed into law.

The Act, which is currently before the National Legislature, calls for local government officials to be elected based on the most votes, regardless of whether the winner surpasses the fifty percent threshold.

According to Younquoi, if this act is passed into law, the dominant tribe in each locality would unfairly benefit. He said the bill is a recipe for disaster and lawmakers should apply due diligence before passing the law.

“If there is an election for two persons, the tribe with the most population is going to always be victorious in the process based on simple majority,” he said.

Younquoi spoke with a crew of journalists in Sanniquellie following a two-day dialogue staged by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“We cannot be solving one problem and creating another problem,” he said, raising alarm about the provision in the bill. “If we are making laws, it should be a law that will benefit every citizen.”

Younquoi’s arguments are surprising given that he and the rest of the representatives have been elected not by the “absolute majority of the votes cast” that the Liberian constitution requires for all publicly elected offices.

The constitution states:

If no candidate obtains an absolute majority in the first ballot, a second ballot shall be conducted on the second Tuesday following. The two candidates who received the greatest numbers of votes on the first ballot shall be designated to participate in the run-off election.

However, in the past several elections, senators and representatives have been elected and installed in office without absolute majority.

Featured photo by Arrington Ballah