MONROVIA, Oct. 17 -- The Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY) has accused the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) of engineering what it describes as a "coordinated effort to influence" its upcoming General Assembly elections. The youth organization claims that senior ministry officials have attempted to impose a preferred candidate and have withheld institutional funding as leverage.

The FLY General Assembly, expected to gather delegates from across the country later this month, is meant to elect a new national leadership. However, tensions have escalated over what the Federation calls unwarranted interference from the Ministry.

Speaking to reporters in Monrovia, Jeremiah Wilson, Vice President for National Affairs of FLY, said the Minist...