Since the holding of Liberia’s mid-term Senatorial Elections 2020 was announced and names began to pop-up in the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), speculations abound that the process leading to the selection of a candidate to represent the party in Montserrado County would be stage managed against the will of the majority of membership. The Chairman of the Primaries Organizing Committee, Jefferson Tamba Koijee says those who hold such mindset will be disappointed because he is prepared to preside over a democratically credible process.
“Nothing is sure here until the people decide. Those who think these primaries would be stage managed in favor of a particular candidate should think again. We are not here to joke. We will set precedence for other political institutions to follow,” Koijee said.
Jefferson T. Koijee spoke at the start of the CDC Primaries in Careysburg Montserrado County District #1 on July 22, 2020.
According to him, he has printed voters roll containing names of accredited delegates qualified to vote in the primaries as a way of enabling aspirants to verify who is eligible to cast a ballot at the primaries and raise concerns were necessary.
The CDC Primaries Organizing Committee Chairman stressed that each of the three aspirants: Representative Thomas P. Fallah, Ishmael Sheriff and Samuel Worzi will have agents to monitor the process in order to ensure that the same names that were published are the ones on the voters roll to vote.
He emphasized that the will of the people would be upheld when the process shall have ended.
During the short interaction among the three contestants, incumbent Montserrado County District #5 Representative Thomas Fallah said the battle to reclaim Montserrado County’s senate seat from the opposition is not a charge for “neophyte to take”, referring to his fellow aspirants as lacking the political wherewithal to win the Montserrado County cherished Senate seat for which they are seeking the endorsement of membership of the party.
According to Representative Fallah, he has a 14-year legislative experience that makes him best suited to represent the CDC at the 2020 mid-term senatorial polls in December.
For his part, former Assistant Minister for Information Services at the Ministry of Information Culture and Tourism, Samuel Worzi said it is baffling that a man who was taken from the market with no leadership experience and given a chance to serve at the National Legislature based on the party’s endorsement would call other partisans seeking similar opportunity ” neophyte”.
He disagreed with the categorization stating that he has paid his dues in the political sphere of Liberia with a record of leading many positive ventures for the party, CDC and in his private life.
Ishmael Sheriff contended that ultimate interest is the CDC and not personal ego adding “the three of us seeking the endorsement of membership of the party are equally qualified to represent the CDC at the December polls.
As votes were cast by accredited delegates, 715 out of the 1,500 accredited and qualified delegates voted during the Montserrado County District #1 primary with 116 invalid votes. Out of the total number of valid votes cast, Incumbent Representative Thomas P. Fallah got 559 votes; Samuel Worzi, 28 and Ishmael Sheriff, 12 votes.
Partisans were informed that the results from Montserrado County District #1 is not the final decision on who represents the CDC at the December polls. The Organizing Committee Chairman, Koijee said Representative Fallah who got the highest number of votes should replicate such feat in the rest of the 16 Districts of Montserrado County to be considered.
The process continues in other districts in Montserrado County over the next few days and M-News Africa will follow it as it happens.
