By Alex Yomah
With growing pressure on President George Manneh Weah to nominate head of the National Elections Commission, high placed sources closed to the Executive have unearthed that Liberia’s Solicitor General, Saymah Syerenus Cephus will be the next Commissioner to replace Cllr. Jerome Korkoya.
Recently, five persons were nominated and each was given the opportunity to face the Senate Committee and four were successful to reach the Senate’s plenary and approved as commissioners but the chairperson-designate, Nbusie Nwabudike was recalled just before the committee could submit its report to the plenary and since then, the Liberian leader has failed to nominate another person, despite the tension.
Report says, the Solicitor General was a former partisan of the CDC who the President has explicit respect for to conduct a peaceful and transparent election if not nominated to serve there.
When contacted, the Collaborating Political Parties [CPP] through its Secretary General, Aloysius Toe, who is also the Secretary General said, as far as the CPP is concerned, the Solicitor General to be nominated by the President is speculation but assuming if said rumor were to be factual, will be vehemently opposed to the core by CPP.
CPP says the Solicitor General’s utterances have proven his partisanship with the CDC and the ruling party cannot reform him now to serve as NEC’s chairperson.
Cllr. Toe further mentioned that his opposition and utterances have Cllr. Cephus in what he called ‘credibility’ issue, which the opposition would not accept him to head such a credible institution.
Cllr. Cephus’ selection, if actualized as speculated, would be another event that opposition will challenge –evidenced by the fresh revelation released by Unity Party Spokesperson, Mo Ali on social media.
In Mohamed Ali’s post, he revealed Cllr. Cephus’ role played during the 14 years of civil unrest that decimated hundreds of Liberians and foreigners.
The Solicitor General who appeared combative, threatened to shut down media institutions who his government believes would make statements deemed counterproductive against Covid-19, would be closed.
Liberians are pondering since the expiration of the tenure of the commissioners of the National Elections Commission (NEC) who did exceptionally well by the ushering in the leadership of President George Weah through a democratic process; many politicians are beginning to wonder why the chief executive has taken so long to announce a chairperson to that Commission which will be a litmus test for whoever sits atop that integrity institution during the General and Presidential Elections in 2023.
The public and politicians are worried over the Liberian leader’s delay to nominate new NEC Boss noting that barely four months to the special senatorial elections that should usher in 15 new senators constituting half of the senators who are supposed to complete a quorum for the conduct of business in the Legislature including being present for the President’s next annual message, eye brows are beginning to raise again as to what is causing the delay in appointing a new chairperson.
It is no secret that there are equally qualified individuals whom many believe could be named for which there should be no delay if the presidency takes the matter of elections preparations seriously judging from constraints in procuring logistics, scouting funding, as well as engendering the political will to ensure that the needed support is provided in real time.
Many persons have already begun eying individuals of trust who might be best suited for the post based on their credibility and integrity and the public perception has under the microscope Ambassador Dee Max Kemayah, Associate Justice Jamesetta Howard Wolokollie; Cllr. T. Negbalee Warner; Cllr. Tiawon Gongloe; Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott; Cllr. Koffi Woods; Cllr. Jonathan Weedor; Mr. Dorbor Jallah and Ms. Leymah Gbowee; just to name a few.
The name Dorbor Jallah, stands out in terms of integrity as he is the winner of the 2018 edition of Integrity Idol Liberia a ‘naming and faming’ initiative which highlights the effort of the most honest government civil servant is another individual who many persons believe is best suited for this position of high integrity.