Monrovia — The campaign team of Liberian football administrator Cassell Kuoh has raised concerns regarding the integrity of the upcoming Liberia Football Association (LFA) elections, questioning the transparency of guidelines recently circulated to stakeholders.
In a formal press statement issued Monday and signed by Campaign Manager Emmett Stages Glassco, Team Cassell revealed that member clubs initially received an unsigned, blind carbon copy (BCC) of the election guidelines on March 9, 2026. This was reportedly followed less than six hours later by an updated version bearing the signature of Elections Committee Chairman, Cllr. Meo Beyan.
However, the campaign team noted a glaring discrepancy the signed document was dated March 8, 2026 a day before the unsigned version was distributed.
"We believe the document may have been backdated to prove a point, which raises serious credibility issues regarding whether the chairman can conduct this election without bias," the statement asserted.
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Team Cassell is now demanding Cllr. Beyan clarify how a document distributed on March 9 could carry a signature and date from the previous day.
Questions Over Statutes and Authentication
Beyond the timeline of the guidelines, the campaign team is challenging the authenticity of the Election Code itself. They noted that the document lacks signatures from its framers or any authorized representatives, arguing that any instrument governing a national election must be properly authenticated.
The group further alleged a "statutory mismatch." They claim the provisions referenced in the current guidelines for the election of the LFA President and Executive Committee members do not align with the statutes previously shared with members.
Specifically, Team Cassell pointed to documents presented to women's football clubs on August 23, 2025, by Kebeh Lamine, alleging that those provisions differ significantly from the current guidelines.
"We will not accept any election where different sets of statutes are presented to members and to the Elections Committee," the statement warned, demanding that the committee produce the specific statutes used as a reference to verify if amendments were legally approved by Congress.
Allegations of Potential Manipulation
The campaign team accused the LFA Executive Committee of failing to provide members with the most recent amended statutes, a move they believe creates a vacuum for "manipulation."
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Team Cassell also took issue with requirements forcing candidates to comply with Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA regulations, arguing that the LFA should rely primarily on its own domestic statutes.
"Excessive" Fees and Documentation
The group further slammed the US$1,000 appeal fee mandated by the guidelines, describing the amount as "excessive" and a tactic to discourage candidates from seeking redress in the event of unfair treatment. They have also called for immediate clarification on the specific supporting documents required for candidate nominations at the LFA Secretariat.
Escalation to FIFA and CAF
Vowing to protect the integrity of the process, Team Cassell announced plans to formally notify football's global and regional governing bodies.
"Team Cassell will formally communicate its concerns to both CAF and FIFA, while also informing the Ministry of Youth and Sports about these early signs of manipulation," the group stated.
As the LFA prepares for a leadership transition, the stakes remain high. Stakeholders and football enthusiasts are now looking to the Elections Committee for a response to these allegations of procedural inconsistencies.
