CDCians battle for Montserrado

Officials of the Coalition for Democratic Change or CDC have begun battling for the Montserrado County senatorial seat made vacant by the election of Sen. George Weah as Liberia’s 24th President.

The CDC has in recent past elections shown to pull more votes in Montserrado compared to other rival parties here, but Mr. Weah’s ascendancy from the Senate to the Presidency leaves a gap that appears to divide his party officials’ interest over who succeeds him at a senatorial bye-election.

Ahead of Mr. Weah’s inauguration due 22 January, a CDC Rep. for Montserrado County District #13 Saah Joseph says he will avail himself at an upcoming CDC Plenary in which the party will decide who it will support for the senatorial bye-election.

But the CDC Youth League on Sunday, 7 January petitioned the party’s Rep. for Montserrado County District #8 Moses Acarous Gray to contest on the party ticket for the senatorial race.

Upon Mr. Gray’s petition by party youth league, Rep. Joseph told a local radio talk show in Monrovia on Monday, 8 January that the people of Montserrado County have asked him that they want to add to the mandate they gave him to replace outgoing Sen. Weah.

Rep. Joseph and Rep. Gray were both reelected in October 2017 for another six years on CDC ticket in their various districts in Montserrado County.

The party will have to decide which of the two aspirants it will choose to run on its ticket for the upcoming senatorial bye-election, though the National Elections Commission (NEC) has not yet scheduled the bye-election.

“I said yes… I have the right to agree,” Rep. Joseph says, arguing that he is not seeking the senatorial job for money, but to carrying on the will of the people.

Rep. Joseph told local talk show hosts that if he goes to the plenary and loss, he will go back to the people that gave him the mandate to contest the upcoming senatorial election to know what would be their next decision.

He notes that during his six years at the House of Representatives, money he received for the people of his district was given to them and it was used for the intended purpose.

Rep. Joseph discloses that by this weekend about US$2 million plus worth of medical material will arrive in the County to fight against a new skin disease here.

By Ben P. Wesee/ Freelancer–Edited by Winston W. Parley