Tension rises in Liberia as court case will delay transition of power

People read a board featuring on hold Liberia's elections runoff in Monrovia, Liberia November 7, 2017 (Photo: Reuters)

Liberia's opposition Liberty Party will take its claims of election fraud to the Supreme Court this week after the electoral commission ruled on Friday that the first-round Oct. 10 vote was fair, it said on Sunday November 26.

The appeal will likely set the West African country's presidential election back well into December, and could result in the first round poll being re-run, which could delay the first democratic transfer of power in over 70 years by months.