By Alex Yomah
The former ruling Unity Party (UP) is fielding a candidate in today’s re-run election in Lofa County but, an Executive of the party, River-Gee County Senator Conmany Wesseh says the process is illegal.
There is a huge involvement of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change with support from some opposition political parties’ members in favor of Joseph Kpator Jallah but Senator Wesseh expressed that the prevention of former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai to take his seat in the Liberian Senate having won the mid-term election in 2020 has no constitutional backing.
The lawmaker from River Gee serving as Special Guest at the Contemporary Intellectual Museum during the weekend on the Bushrod Island told the intellectual gathering that announcing a by-election in Lofa County does not meet any of the criteria set in the Liberian Constitution.
He averred that for an election to be held, the sitting senator must have either died, or be removed from power or otherwise; unlike the Samukai’s case. “Samukai was elected Senator; he had never begun to function, though he was declared winner in the special 2020 Senatorial Elections and the Supreme Court allowed him to participate in the process,” he added.
The River Gee Senator further stated that the accusation against Samukai was an order from former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in which he implemented by using the AFL funds on another emergency purpose during then Unity Party’s government.
He asserted that as per the order given the former Defense Minister from Madam Sirleaf, the argument should be that the Liberian government owes the Armed Forces of Liberia.
Senator Wesseh said instead, the judicial system under the Coalition for Democratic Change government changed the actual debate to Samukai as an individual that owes the AFL.
The UP Executive also questioned the Weah-led administration for reportedly denying Samukai the senatorial seat he won in Lofa when then President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf who was allegedly in political bed with President Weah confirmed of ordering the former Defense Minister to do what he did.
The River Gee Senator has maintained that the Lofa by-election is completely unconstitutional and should not be practiced in the country, terming it as a very dangerous precedence being set by the High Court for terming the order carried out by Samukai for the former Liberian Chief Executive as unlawful.
President George Weah has been recorded in history as a sitting President that denied a county’s senator from taking seat due to what street peddlers and politicians termed as corruption.
Samukai was overwhelmingly voted for to represent the people of Lofa County, but was disallowed by government through its justice arm, on grounds that he seemingly stole money belonging to the gallant men and women of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and because of that, justice says, he is imperfect to take “integrity seat” and as such, was denied to be certificated.
The unprecedented event among other things, ignited series of protestations from sons and daughters of Lofa County as a means of expressing their dislike about the former Defense Minister’s denial but while they were annoyed, their other sons and daughters welcomed the decision, describing it as a precedent case also and a form of fighting corruption.
“This heartbreaking event against the people of Lofa County in the word of an elderly man who spoke to our reporter in Lofa caused “Bush devils” too to launch protest against the government of Liberia by denying free entrance to Lofa,” our Staff reported.
However, today, Tuesday, June 28, 2022, residents of Lofa County will go to the polls for the second time to vote to fill the senatorial seat in what is perceived as a by-election.
Those approved by the National Elections Commission are; Momo Tarnue Kollie Cyrus; Mariamu Beyan Fofana, Joseph Kpator Jallah and George Beyan Samah, all as independent candidates; Galakpai W. Kortima, Unity Party and Sumo G. Kupee, People’s Unification Party.
