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Claim: Multiple Facebook users shared a press statement that claims “ALCOP has endorsed Kogar as their candidate in the Nimba by-election.”
Verdict: Mostly true. ALCOP’s Secretary General said the party drafted the press statement endorsing Korgar but did not publish it as its official position.
Full text
A supporter of Samuel Korgar’s candidacy in the Nimba by-election came under huge criticism following a statement he made against a tribal group in Liberia.
In response, multiple social media users shared a press release on Facebook, claiming it was from the All Liberia Coalition Party (ALCOP). ALCOP is a political party in Liberia.
The press release condemned the remark from Korgar’s supporter, while it also stated that “ALCOP calls on all its partisans in Nimba to cast their votes for Hon. Sammuel G. Korgar…”
Photo of the press release.
Many Facebook users shared the release, saying, “ALCOP has endorsed Kogar as their candidate in the Nimba by-election.”
The Facebook users’ posts can be seen here, here, and here.
DUBAWA authenticated the press release shared.
Verification
DUBAWA contacted the National Secretary General of ALCOP, Lassana Kamara, to verify the press statement that bears his signature.
Kamara said that ALCOP wrote the statement, but the party did not release it as its official position.
He said it was a draft copy he shared within their executive committee’s chat room.
According to Kamara, the document was smuggled out of the room and released to the public before it was finalized.
“It slipped out of the chatroom. It was a draft copy. That is not the party’s position. It was a suggestion. It’s not official.”
He, however, stated that ALCOP has not endorsed any of the candidates in the Nimba election.
“This party has not made any official positions in this election. We have not endorsed anyone.”
DUBAWA also came across a live Facebook video by Kamara, in which he addressed the public and made the same statement he had shared with DUBAWA.
Following the conversation with Lassana Kamara, it is clear that the press release is genuine and was written by the ALCOP. DUBAWA cannot confirm who leaked the press release.
Conclusion
Multiple Facebook users’ claims that ALCOP issued a press release endorsing Kogar’s candidature are mostly true.
