By Lincoln G. Peters
Partisans and supporters of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) have assured incumbent President George Manneh Weah of their support to give him a resounding one-round victory.
The CDCians said based on their huge turnout during CDC’s official campaign launch Thursday, 7 September 2023, they were optimistic of a one-round victory for President Weah during the polls this October.
Mr. Weah faces his archrivals Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Mr. Alexander B. Cummings, and 17 other presidential candidates in the presidential and legislative elections due 10 October 2023.
After nearly six years in power, this year’s presidential polls will test Mr. Weah’s popularity among grass rooters who helped him to win the presidency against former Liberian vice president Amb. Boakai in a 2017 run-off.
Voters might support candidates for various reasons, but some of the triggers might be tied to how the CDC-led government approached the country’s economic issues, infrastructure, security, corruption, and citizens’ general welfare.
With thirty-three days to the presidential polls, Mr. Weah and his CDC executives and partisans assembled at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) down Lynch Street in central Monrovia Thursday to officially launch the party’s campaign.
Supporters of Mr. Weah noted that the turnout was not just intended to justify President Weah’s quest for a one-round victory, but it also allegedly defeated the opposition’s argument that the incumbent and the CDC have lost relevance and popularity in the country.
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The CDC supporters vowed to transmit their huge turnout into votes, something they believe would lead to an overwhelming and resounding one-round victory for President Weah and the CDC government.
During the CDC campaign launch on Thursday, thousands of CDCians from the Bushrod Island, particularly Montserrado County Electoral Districts 14, 15,16 and 17, turned out in their numbers.
Business activities were brought to a standstill in the commercial hub of Duala as thousands of CDC zonal heads, partisans and supporters and well-wisher trekked through the principal streets on Bushrod Island to central Monrovia.
They dressed in dominant blue shirts and caps bearing photos of CDC standard-bearer Mr. Weah and his running mate, Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor.
Some CDC supporters were conveyed to the campaign launch in buses and other vehicles while others walked long distances due to traffic congestion.
En route to the ATS, CDC supporters from Bushrod Island chanted “2 million march, secure one-round victory.”
Our reporter conducted an exclusive interview with James Tweah, a resident of New Kru Town, Montserrado Electoral District #16.
Tweah said their huge turnout is a wakeup call to the opposition who think and believe that President Weah and the CDC have lost relevance and aspiration of the Liberian people.
According to him, they came out in their numbers to justify their quest for a resounding one-round victory in the October 10 presidential and legislative elections.
“We have justified our one-round victory here today. Not just that we, we have also brought to bear the saying from the opposition that President Weah and CDC have lost relevance and the aspiration of the Liberian people,” said Mr. Tweah.
“What you see here today will be transmitted to votes which will give the CDC a resounding one-round victory,” he added.
For her part, Grace Mulbah, stated that the opposition are afraid because what they saw is far more than any crowd or political gathering they have had since the opening of campaign activities.
“They said President Weah has not done [anything] and because of that he has lost relevance. He lost the aspiration and interest of the Liberian people. Now, they are in worry,” said Ms. Mulbh.
“This gathering has justified that the President is even more popular than before and his control base has increased in number and popularity,” she noted.
According to her, President Weah won 14 out of 15 counties during the previous election.
She believes that in this year’s election, they will make sure that the CDC wins every county.
