By Lewis S. Teh
The ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has warned defeated partisans against challenging the will of the people following unfavorable party primaries, or they would face the party’s wrath.
Mr. Jefferson T. Koijee, Secretary General of the ruling party and Monrovia Mayor issued the warning while addressing a team of reporters following the CDC primary in Montserrado Electoral District #16 at the weekend.
“We want to call on defeated representative Jimmy Smith to accept the will and decision of the people or the party will take actions against anyone,” said Mr. Koijee.
Mr. Smith, the CDC’s incumbent representative for Montserrado County Electoral District #2, lost the party’s ticket to his rival during a primary over the weekend.
Koijee warned Mr. Smith to accept his defeat and to stop being ungrateful to the party and the people who made him over the years.
Newcomer Kokulo Borvor acquired 382 votes as the CDC favorite, defeating the incumbent Representative Smith who obtained just 21 votes.
A few minutes following the announcement of the results, Mr. Smith immediately suspended his membership with the CDC through a written communication addressed to party chairman Mulbah Morlu.
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In his letter, Representative Smith alleged that the CDC standard bearer, President George Manneh Weah, and the executives within the CDC had betrayed him.
According to him, Mr. Weah reached an agreement with the party’s legislative caucus that all sitting lawmakers would not have been subjected to the primary.
He added that it was agreed that CDC lawmakers seeking re-election in the October 10, 2023 elections would have been considered consensus candidates or elected on the white ballot for the party’s ticket.
But Koijee reminded the defeated candidate that it was the same party that allowed him to contest on its ticket in the 2017 elections.
Koijee argued that Smith has no morals to question the choice and decisions of the people.
According to him, the lawmaker was rejected by the citizens of District #2 when he contested on the Unity Party’s ticket, after which the CDC gave him hope.
The CDC chief scribe suggested that it will be a terrible mistake if Mr. Smith rejects the decision of the same people.
According to Koijee, the CDC does not impose candidates on the electorate, saying the people are given the time and opportunity to decide their leaders to contest on the party’s ticket in any election.
At the same time, Mr. Koijee congratulated the winner of the primary in Montserrado County Electoral District #2, Kokulo Borvor.
He also thanked Representative Jimmy Smith for participating in the process peacefully and democratically, adding that the decision of the people is bigger than anyone.
Meanwhile, Koijee disclosed that all defeated candidates in the CDC primaries across the country are automatically members of the party’s national campaign team.
