By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland County
Several citizens in Maryland County electoral district#2 are jubilating the defeat of their Representative, Bhofal Chambers, who also serves as Speaker of the House in the 54th Legislature.
The jubilating citizens in huge numbers were seen parading in communities and in streets of Pleebo Sodoken district, chanting battle cries such as “We tired suffering Mr. 18Yrs.”
Representative Chambers was elected in 2005 by citizens of electoral district#2, serving three six-year terms and was seeking reelection for 4th term when he got booted out by his fierce rival, Candidate Anthony F. Williams of the opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).
The jubilation Wednesday, October 18, 2023, included youth, women, men and several supporters of his rival, Mr. Williams.’
Results released by the National Elections Commission say Candidate Anthony Williams won the district with 7,944 votes against Representative Chambers with 7,858 votes.
Speaking to this paper, the citizens stressed that enough is enough, saying, “We have played our part since 2005, so we think the Speaker needs to rest; we are not saying he hasn’t done anything, but he needs to rest small.”
“Let me say enough is enough; we voted for him in 2005, 2011, and 2017, so we need to try another person too yaa”, said one resident, Rufus.
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“Since those years what can he show to this district? I think we have tried our best and he should appreciate our efforts because he knows what we have done for him since 2005”, another said.
Search Weah of Zone#2 in Pleebo, noted that she was at the age of 10 when Representative Chambers was elected and now, she’s 27 years, so since that time, the people of Pleebo Sodoken district have done well.
“We appreciate his scholarship, his hard work, his collaboration and unity but we think, he needs to appreciate us for those numbers of years”.
The Speaker hasn’t accepted the poll results, because, in his recent press conference, he claimed to have been in the lead based on tallying of results from his war room.
According to Chambers, results from other polling centers especially, a precinct in Old Sodoken that comprises two polling places, were plagued with series of controversies involving the appearance of a ‘Country Devil’ on Wednesday, 12 October after Election Day, which left his observers to flee for their lives.
He continues that the ‘Country Devil’ allegedly took over the ballot site, adding that supporters of Mr. Anthony Williams were allegedly seeing harassing and intimating members of the CDC and Team Chambers, to an extent of threatening to inflict bodily harm and destroy election materials on polling day.
According to the ruling CDC defeated lawmaker, one of the polling precincts in old Sodoken had a total used and unused ballots 962 on the tallying sheet, instead of 550, as required by the National Elections Commission.
He argues that it’s totally against the election guidelines and intended to manipulate the process.
Chambers claims he has evidence that Maryland County Senator James Biney was bent on twisting the process after a meeting the senator allegedly held with NEC staff in Gbloken over the weekend.
“So, Senator Biney, I feel he holds Pleebo people explanation, because being a Senator, why would he want to interfere in Pleebo issue?” He asks.
He says the act of bringing ‘County Devil’ out in the town deprived most of his supporters from voting in Old Sodoken, which put his rival ahead with total votes of six hundred and forty-three (643) against ninety-five (95) votes he obtained from Old Sodoken polling center.
Representative Chambers, who also serves as Speaker of the House, also excuses Deputy Speaker and his ruling CDC lawmaker, Grand Kru County Representative Fonati Koffa of financing and plotting these acts against him.
“Let me say this, I’m surprised; Biney of all people, who I have helped during the 2020 election, is among those people behind these things.
Even my colleague Koffa, but I can assure my supporters that we are leading this election, and we will continue with those things we have started as lawmaker of the people.”
He adds that evidence links the Deputy Speaker towards the reported violence but that he is not deterred.
“If we think, Liberia is our common denominator and we have to make Liberia prosperous, fair, trust and united, I don’t think we should have this aspect. I mean, in the legislature, there are many times Deputy Speaker Koffa has been excused even though we had other instances where we have brought it in his face and in recent times, there were some communications between him and Maryland County former chairman of the traditional council, Nelson Neal, to have contested against me but that didn’t happen. Perhaps, he is now using Candidate Anthony F. Williams through Senator Biney.”
“So, with all that’s happening, people trying to control and destabilize the process, but I want to thank the Liberian National Police for being so active in handling these issues”, Chambers narrates.
He reveals that officials of the CDC and Team Chambers have filed an official complaint against the alleged act perpetrated by the ‘Country Devil’ and supporters of his rival. Editing by Jonathan Browne
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