Let CDC Pursue the Matter

The debate on the so-called confession of “electoral fraud” in the 2011 Legislative election made recently by Senator Prince Y. Johnson of Nimba County may just be a distance from ending. As if the ‘war of words’ between Senator Johnson and former Chairman James Fromoyan of the National Elections Commission or NEC, as well as other condemnations were not enough, a position by the opposition Congress for Democratic Change or CDC for a logical conclusion, as some may see it, is being contemplated.

The CDC is suggesting that because of the ‘graveness’ of the recent revelation by the Nimba County Senator, an investigation must be conducted to ascertain the facts of the matter. Senator Johnson had informed a meeting of Nimba elders, and zoes in the county that the results of the 2011 representative election, “manipulated by the James Fromoyan-led National Elections Commission in favor of his partisans and kinsmen, were influenced by him, through President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s instrumentality”.

Senator Johnson named Representatives Garrison Yealu, Samuel Korgai and Worleah Dunah as his partisans and kinsmen who were favored against the will of the people of Nimba County- an allegation a few of the accused, including former Chairman Fromoyan has already emotionally and furiously rejected.  But The CDC, through its Secretary General Nat McGill, vowed to pursue the matter through an official communication to the Liberian Senate for a probe.

The CDC’s call for this investigation, according to McGill, is really not intended to  change the results of the 2011 Legislative election in the three districts of Nimba County, but to “know what actually happened”, terming as unfortunate the ‘overturning of decisions’ made by citizens through the casting of ballots during elections in the country, and that the party was currently concerned about happenings that characterized the 2011 electoral exercise in order to protect the future of Liberia’s emerging democracy.

Even though revelation, confession or whatever of PYJ, as the Senator is popularly known across the country, may have sounded very undiplomatic and untimely, it is also important to understand the general message of such, and this may be from where the CDC is coming. While the Liberian Presidency is yet to respond to PYJ, probably due to its current “official burden”, it is also important to seek a probe so as to understand the true nature of the Senator’s claims-over which there are now two sides.

And if the CDC’s objective for officially pursuing this matter with the Liberian Senate is something realistic to accept, this could serve as a deterrent to future attempts against the interest of the electorates. One could only hope that in pursuance of its desire for a probe and understanding of ‘what actually happened in the 2011 Legislative election’ in Nimba County, the facts will be truly determined for all of us to know whether or not Senator Prince Y. Johnson of Nimba County made the right revelation. And so, let the CDC go ahead with its case before the Liberian senate as soon as possible.