Full Text: On October 17, 2025, social media user Varney Cruz Hilton posted on his Facebook page accusing Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah of interfering with the Federation of Liberian Youth's upcoming election. The accusation alleged that Fallah bribed the Independent Election Commission to influence the election results in favor of aspiring candidate Duku Jallah.
Varney, a supporter of presidential aspirant Mandela S. Gbollie, claimed that "Thomas Fallah has given the IEC of FLY 25K to make Duku President." Similar claims were made by other supporters of Mandela S. Gbollie, which can be found here, here, and here, all alleging that the Deputy Speaker gave the IEC 25k.
The Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY) is the umbrella organization for all youth in Liberia. On September 1, 2025, FLY announced the establishment of its Independent Elections Commission to guarantee a process marked by transparency, integrity, and inclusiveness.
The commission is headed by Brezhnev D. Paasewe, FLY's former Second Vice President and currently a senior staff employee at Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
Verification: The Stage Media-Liberia contacted the office of Deputy Speaker Fallah, the President of FLY, and the IEC of FLY. All three parties refuted the claim.
"False and baseless... My man, no no no, the deputy speaker is busy with other important national issues. He has no interest whatsoever in the FLY elections; it's a young people thing; let them handle it among themselves. Hope this helps." — Salia O. Kamara, Special Assistant to Deputy Speaker Fallah (via WhatsApp).
"Hello Emmanuel, Thank you for reaching out to verify this information.
The allegation is completely false and baseless. At no point has the IEC-FLY had any form of communication or engagement with Deputy Speaker Fallah, nor has the Commission received any money from him or anyone to influence the election.
The IEC-FLY remains independent, credible, and committed to conducting a free, fair, and transparent election for all candidates." — Dugbeh Melvin Kayseah, Secretary General, IEC-FLY.
"This information is false and misleading. The members of the IEC are individuals of proven integrity who have dedicated many years to service. Banica Elliot said, "They have assured us that this process will be conducted with the highest level of transparency and fairness."
Banica Elliot, the President for the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), said, "The head of the IEC is well known within the youth and student community as a principled and upright leader. Since his tenure as Second Vice President of FLY, he has served diligently with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), maintaining an unblemished record of honesty and professionalism throughout his career. We therefore urge the public to disregard this false narrative and continue to trust the integrity and commitment of the IEC to a free, fair, and credible process."
The Stage Media contacted Varney Hilton via Messenger to inquire about his source. He directed us to text him via WhatsApp. After reaching out on WhatsApp, he indicated he would respond shortly. Despite follow-up messages, Varney saw our message but has yet to respond by the time of publication. This story will be updated if he provides a response.
Conclusion
The claim made by Varney Cruz Hilton and others that Deputy Speaker Fallah gave the Independent Elections Commission of FLY 25k to make Duku President is unproven. Responses from Deputy Speaker's office, the IEC of FLY, and the FLY President all denied the allegation. Hilton has yet to provide evidence to support his claim.
