Declared Winners for 2014 elections
The National Elections Commission or NEC last weekend, officially announced the winners of the December 20, 2014 Special Senatorial Elections held across the country.
The commission, through its Chairman Jerome George Korkoya at its headquarters in Monrovia, said the 15 winners will be certificated on January 3, 2015 and subsequently declared constitutional senators to serve a nine-year term.
Those declared winners by the NEC are Morris Saytumah of Bomi County and the Unity Party, incumbent Bong County Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor of the National Patriotic Party (re-elected), while in Gbarpolu County, former Senator Daniel Naatehn made a comeback to the senate after being defeated in the 2011. Jonathan Kaipay of the Liberty Party was declared winner in Grand Bassa County defeating President Pro Tempore Milton G. Findley, the National Chairman of the ruling Unity Party, Cllr. Varney Sherman dragged incumbent Abel Massalley in Grand Cape Mount County to be announced as winner.
In Grand Gedeh County, Representative Zoe Emmanuel Pennue suffered serious political defeat before the eyes of those he claimed were his huge supporters at the hands of Marshall Dennis , while Grand Kru County now has former Assistant Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy Albert Chie as its new.
In Lofa County, the NEC declared Law Enforcement and security expert Stephen Zargo of the Liberty Party as the new Senator, while Pastor Jim Tornonlah of the newly established People Unification Party whipped incumbent Clarice Jah of the Liberty Party to become the new Senator for nine years.
The NEC also officially announced Maryland County former Superintendent J. Gbleh-bo Brown as winner over Representative Bhofal Chambers of the CDC. Obviously, there was no doubt that CDC’s political leader George Mannah Weah would have proven politically supreme over all other candidates to win the seat for Montserrado County, as was done by Nimba County strongman, Senator Prince Johnson, asked by the overwhelming majority of Nambaians to stay on at the Capitol Building for additional nine years as their Senator.
In Rivercess County, Representative Francis Paye defeated both incumbent Senator Jay Jonathan Banney and former Superintendent Wellington Geevon Smith to extend his stay at the Liberian Legislature- this time as Senator. His ascendency means there is now vacancy in the House of Representatives, even though it is yet to be made official by the Speaker.
Ambassador Conmany Wesseh of the Unity Party was declared winner for River Gee County after attempting three times, while former Superintendent J. Milton Teahjay of the Unity Party skillfully unseated incumbent Senatir Mobutu Vlah Nyenpan in Sinoe County.
Meanwhile, NEC has expressed thanks and appreciations to all participants, partners and the electorates for their level of maturity displayed during the voting process.
“I wish to congratulate all of the candidates for their election as senators of the fifteen counties of Liberia. The NEC wishes to announce that certification of winners in the 2014 Special Senatorial Election will be held on Saturday, January 3, 2015, in the James M. Fromayan Conference Hall.
The NEC wishes to also remind all candidates in the 2014 Special Senatorial Election that in keeping with the Campaign Finance Regulations, they are required to submit their respective Campaign Finance Reports to the Commission within 15 days following this announcement,” he said.
