Published: December 17, 2025
MONROVIA — For years, critics have accused Liberia’s public institutions of operating above the law, insulated by power and political connections. Now, a recent ruling against the National Elections Commission has ignited a legal and political firestorm — with NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne-Lansanah at its center.
The decision, handed down by the Complaints, Appeals and Review Panel (CARP) of the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission, found the NEC in violation of procurement and administrative procedures in a dispute involving a local vendor. The ruling has emboldened business owners and civil rights advocates who say the case reflects a broader culture of impunity within powerful government agencies.
Varney A. Fahnbulleh, representing M-Tosh, a local vendor affected by NEC’s actions, described the ruling as a turning point. “Injustice and abuse of political office has come to an end,” Fahnbulleh said. “This ruling goes far beyond the walls of the PPCC. It is a victory for struggling Liberian business men and women.”
According to Fahnbulleh, the panel’s decision paves the way for a $10 million civil lawsuit against Browne-Lansanah, the NEC Board of Commissioners, Executive Director Anthony Singbeh and Procurement Director Joseph Kerkula. The suit, he said, will seek compensatory damages for what he describes as years of unlawful exclusion, nonpayment and abuse of authority.
Allegations of Defiance
At the heart of the dispute are claims that NEC leadership repeatedly refused to honor valid payment obligations for goods already supplied, despite interventions from multiple government institutions. Fahnbulleh alleges that the General Auditing Commission validated the claims and that the Ministry of Finance formally requested settlement — requests that, he says, were ignored. “Every top government official from the previous administration to the current one asked Madame Davidetta to pay my money, and she refused,” Fahnbulleh said. “She acted as though the law did not apply to her.”
He further alleges that NEC’s refusal to pay forced his business partners in China to involve diplomatic channels and law enforcement over unpaid supplier debts, resulting in reputational harm and severe financial distress.
Claims of Damages
The forthcoming lawsuit, Fahnbulleh said, will seek compensation for pain and suffering, loss of income, loss of business opportunities, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life. He argues that NEC’s actions deliberately excluded his firm from procurement opportunities, costing the company millions of dollars. Legal counsel for the vendor, Cllr. Arthur Johnson, is expected to file the civil action following the CARP ruling, Fahnbulleh said.
It can be recalled that in August 2025 the Commercial Court at the Temple ordered the closure of NEC’s main entrance gate with padlocks on the basis of the Commission’s refusal to honor its ruling ordering payment of over US$700,000 to M-Tosh for goods and services offered NEC a couple of years ago. The gate was later unlocked following interventions placing emphasis on foreign guests at the time being present in NEC’s main conference hall having an engagement.
The hope had been that the Commission could have lived up to its commitment to settle its obligation to the local vendor but it is established that nothing has been done. A Broader Message Supporters of the case say the ruling sends a signal to public officials long accused of wielding unchecked power. “Public office should be an opportunity to serve, not to act like a mini god,” Fahnbulleh said, echoing remarks recently made by President Joseph Boakai during a Cabinet retreat. He added that the suit is intended not only to secure compensation but to deter future abuses and encourage civil servants to challenge wrongdoing within their institutions. “This will give other public officials the courage to engage their colleagues when they are going wrong or using power excessively,” he said.
Silence From NEC
As of publication, the National Elections Commission had not publicly responded to the ruling or the allegations. Efforts to obtain comment from the Commission were unsuccessful. The case is being closely watched by local businesses and international partners, many of whom see it as a test of whether Liberia’s rule of law applies equally — even to the most powerful. For Fahnbulleh and others, the message is simple. “Survival is a right,” he said. “And no public official is above the law.”
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