Claim: UP Vice Standard Bearer Stopped From Voting At Wrong Center
Source: The New Republic Newspaper
Verdict: Misleading, the paper headline is incorrect
Full text: The New Republic Newspaper, managed by Alphonso Toweh, claimed on Tuesday, November 14, that the vice standard bearer of the opposition Unity Party (UP), Jeremiah K. Koung, was prevented from voting by NEC officials because he went to the wrong center.
The news outlet’s article states, “Koung went to vote at Tokay Hill, but when he got there, he was prevented from voting because this was not where he registered to vote. He normally votes at the YMCA compound.”
The New Republic report further states that “when some members of his campaign team were asked, they said he only went to the centre to observe the process but not to vote. That was wrongly taken by CDC boys, who are after our cars all day.”
The paper also quoted Takpor Diah, a member of the CDC team, as saying, “Yes, Jeremiah Koung was stopped by NEC officials because he wanted to vote at a place where he did not register. But we are monitoring them here, step by step. He is moving from one place to another, and we too have our men monitoring his movement here. We will not give them an inch to cheat.”
To verify the newspaper’s article, The Stage Media (TSM) sent a text message to Senator Koung but has yet to respond to our inquiry. When he does, this article will be updated.
A screenshot of the conversation was sent to Sen. Koung, UP’s vice-running mate
TSM also contacted Toweh, the newspaper’s managing editor, to verify its publication.
Toweh said, “My reporter didn’t get a video of it. But NEC officials there said he went there to observe, just as the UP member said.”
According to Toweh, the presence of Koung at the centre was mistaken by some CDCians who thought that he had gone to vote at the centre where he did not register.
TSM also connected with David M. Tahn, a journalist based in Nimba County, to understand whether Koung visited the Tokay Hill polling centre.
In a WhatsApp conversation, Tahn confirmed that the UP’s vice running mate went to the centre but did not go to vote, as it was interpreted by supporters of the ruling CDC and the newspaper.
Conclusion: After TSM’s investigation, it is fair to say that the UP’s vice-running mate went to the Tokay Hill precinct, but he did not go to vote. Therefore, the paper’s headline is misleading.
