The ruling Coalition for Democratic Change endorses former Deputy Minister for Urban Affairs, Pulita Wie as its candidate for the senatorial by-election in Montserrado County and former Postal Affairs Assistant Minister Abu Kamara as its candidate for the Montserrado County District #15 by-election, respectively.
Pulita Wie is expected to challenge Abraham Darious Dillon of the four collaborating opposition political parties for the senate, while Abu Kamara will go all out against Ms Tellia Urey of the four opposition political parties for electoral district #15.
The two by-elections scheduled for 2 July come as a result of the death of Senator Geraldine Doe Sherif, who died in February this year from a terminal ailment and Representative Adolph Lawrence who died in a tragic motor accident along the Robertsfield highway in March, respectively.Ms Wie represents the party in the senatorial race after defeating four other contestants in the primaries.
Others who contested the primaries against her are Josephine Davies, the current Inspector General at the Ministry of Commerce, Sabah Jomah, Phil Dixon, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Labor and Nancy Yollah, a market woman from the Liberian Marketing Association who proved to be a major contender to Wie, as she came neck-to-neck during vote tabulation.
Wie obtained a total of 267 votes followed by Yollah with 219 votes, Josephine Davies, 7 votes; Sabah Jomah, a little known CDCian obtained 92 votes, respectively. Out of the expected 780 delegates, 685 delegates voted in the process. There were 100 invalid votes.
Abu won on white ballot after his fierce contender withdrew from the race at the eleventh hours of the primaries. As a CDC candidate, he now has a challenge to face Miss Telia Urey who has also been brought forth by the four collaborating opposition political parties, including the former ruling Unity Party, Liberty Party, the Alternative National Congress and the All Liberian Party, headed by her father, businessman Benoni Urey.
During the 2017 Presidential and Legislative elections, Mr. Kamara attempted contesting against the late Adolph Lawrence, but was denied by the Supreme Court for failing to comply with the Code of Conduct for public officials.
The Supreme Court ruled that he was an official of government, and as per the Code of Conduct, appointed officials wanting to contest national elections must resign two years ahead of the polls.
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Abu worked as Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Prior to the commencement of the primary, witnessed by thousands of CDCians dressed in their T-shirts and dancing to regular party songs. CDC Standard Bearer and President of Liberia George Weah encourages partisans to unite and reclaim the vacant seat in the Senate because, he says, it belongs to the ruling Coalition.
President Weah also commends the CDC for adhering to the rudiments of democracy, throwing jabs at the collaborating opposition bloc for choosing candidates by consensus.
“What we are doing here today is the beauty of democracy; we are not like the others, who elected their candidates outside of primaries,” the President asserts. By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor–Editing by Jonathan Browne
