Liberia Football Association Elections Committee Chairman Cllr. Meo Beyan pledged Thursday that the upcoming LFA elections will strictly follow FIFA and LFA statutes, assuring stakeholders of a credible and transparent process as 19 aspirants completed their registration.
Speaking at LFA headquarters, Beyan said the committee will operate strictly within the legal framework governing the elections and will not act outside established rules.
“We are an independent committee, and we are going to work within the confines of the LFA statutes,” Beyan said. “What the statutes say is what we are going to do. We don’t investigate candidates; rather, we evaluate them.”
The Elections Committee, elected at an Extraordinary Congress Feb. 22, is responsible for overseeing the process. Its decisions are subject only to review by the Elections Appeals Committee.
Positions up for election include president, one women’s representative seat reserved for female candidates and 11 executive committee slots.
Beyan outlined key eligibility requirements for all aspirants. Candidates must be at least 25 years old, hold Liberian citizenship, comply with LFA, FIFA and Confederation of African Football statutes and carry no criminal record or history of fraud, financial misconduct or misappropriation of funds. Presidential candidates are required to pay a $1,000 registration fee, while executive committee candidates must pay $500.
Beyan said voting will follow the LFA Electoral Code, with the final list of candidates to be circulated 15 to 30 days before the May 15 poll. Aggrieved candidates may file appeals under Article 12 of the Electoral Code, accompanied by a nonrefundable $1,000 fee submitted within the prescribed timeline.
The committee said any matters not covered by the guidelines will be addressed in line with the governing statutes. The rules were issued March 29.
The election process resumed after the Civil Law Court lifted an injunction that had stalled proceedings, pushing the vote from its original April 18 date to May 15 in Paynesville City.
