-Amid NEC Headquarters $US1Million Renovation
By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia – Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah has submitted her resignation as Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC), effective March 15, 2026. Lansanah announced her decision on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during a tour of ongoing renovation work at the Commission’s headquarters. Her departure comes more than a year before her term was originally scheduled to conclude.
In a formal letter addressed to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., dated March 3, 2026, Lansanah cited the need for rest and personal time after more than twelve years of continuous service to the Commission. She first joined the NEC as a commissioner before later being appointed as Chairperson. “This decision was reached after consultation with my family on the need to afford myself the time needed to rest,” Lansanah wrote in the resignation letter.
Lansanah was appointed Chairperson of the Elections Commission by former President George Manneh Weah on April 10, 2020. Her tenure was expected to run until 2027. During her time in office, she oversaw several mid-term by-elections and the 2023 general elections, which were widely praised by international observers as peaceful and credible.
In her resignation communication, Lansanah expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and acknowledged the efforts of NEC staff, political parties, and international partners. “It has been an honor and privilege to serve in these roles, contributing to the democratic processes that are vital to the future of our Nation,” she stated. She also assured the President of her full cooperation in ensuring a smooth transition once a successor is appointed.
The outgoing Chairperson recently oversaw the start of renovation work at the NEC headquarters, a project valued at US$1,135,628. The renovation is intended to upgrade the Commission’s main facility in Monrovia.
Prior to her resignation, Lansanah’s leadership faced significant challenges. In January 2026, President Boakai suspended her indefinitely for what his office described as “unilateral actions in violation of Liberia’s Elections Law.”
An investigation found that she had closed the NEC office for one month and dismissed 25 employees without consulting the Board of Commissioners, as required by law. The suspension was lifted in February 2026 following a high-level meeting involving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The suspension followed months of internal difficulties at the Commission. In November 2024, workers at the NEC protested, demanding unpaid hazard benefits from the 2023 elections. Employees said they had worked under dangerous conditions in remote areas without receiving additional compensation. Following the protest, Lansanah dismissed 40 employees, a decision that was criticized by workers and some commissioners as excessive and unilateral.
The dismissed employees, speaking through their spokesperson Rennie Gleegbar, said their terminations were unfair. “We do not deserve dismissal. We do not even deserve suspension because we have done nothing wrong,” Gleegbar said at the time. The affected staff petitioned the government for intervention, arguing that due process was not followed.
Other members of the Board of Commissioners also raised concerns about Lansanah’s management. Commissioner Floyd Oxley Sayor and Cllr. P. Teplah Reeves said Lansanah made decisions without consulting the Board. Sayor specifically cited the handling of the NEC’s US$53 million election budget, alleging that the Chairperson spent funds without Board approval and failed to provide proper documentation. “She is running NEC unilaterally, and this is not in the interest of the Commission,” Sayor said in an earlier interview.
Cllr. Reeves denied that commissioners had encouraged staff protests. She said employees acted independently to demand their rights and that the crisis stemmed from Lansanah’s leadership approach. “She has the gavel, and the way she is running things continues to come right back at her,” Reeves said.
Before joining the NEC, Lansanah worked as a broadcast journalist at the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS), Star Radio, and Talking Drum Studio. She also served as a National Communications Officer with the United Nations and as an Associate Gender Officer with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
Lansanah holds a Master of Public Administration from Cuttington University and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Public Administration and Political Science from the University of Liberia. With her resignation set to take effect on March 15, 2026, attention now turns to President Boakai, who will nominate a successor to lead the Commission. The next Chairperson will be responsible for overseeing Liberia’s future electoral activities, especially the 2029 general elections.
The National Elections Commission (NEC) of Liberia is an autonomous public body responsible for supervising and conducting all national elections within the Republic. It is responsible for organizing presidential, legislative, and local by-elections, managing the national voter roll, including transitions to Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) technology to enhance credibility, enforcing election laws, adjudicating initial electoral complaints before they can be appealed to the Supreme Court, and conducting reviews of electoral boundary delimitation to ensure fair representation.
