Margibians resist trucking

Citizens of Weala, specifically Margibi County electoral district#5 and its environs have vehemently resisted attempt by a group of eligible voters transported to the district in a Monrovia Transit Authority or MTA bus and other vehicles to participate in the ongoing voter registration process on grounds that they do not hail from the district.

The dramatic event occurred on Tuesday, 7 February when about 200 citizens were transported to the district from unknown localities to register at two of the voter registration centers in Weala, but they were seriously resisted by ordinary citizens, including an aspirant and adherents of some politicians.

Some aspirants and their loyalists accused House Speaker J. Emmanuel Nuquay, who is incumbent Representative for the district, but the claim was swiftly denied by people believed to be Nuquay’s supporters, who defended that the Speaker is fully knowledgeable of the laws governing the electoral process, and will never truck people from one area or community to another to register for elections, particularly when they do not reside there.

The commotion brought the entire voter registration process to a complete halt at the Weala center, mainly in the Commissioner’s Compound for almost an hour because VR staffs were being obstructed.

However, the electoral magistrate for Margibi County FumbaSwaray, quickly intervened and the process resumed.

Some of the trucked individuals, who were engaged by reporters, could hardly say who sent them and where they came from, but only insisted they were residents of the district.

However, some were subsequently identified by people living in Weala as citizens from the area and family members of a prominent resident, only identified as Sackie.

The alleged intruders were later taken to the police station in Weala for investigation.

Meanwhile, supporters Speaker Nuquay took the airwave and clarified that the office of the Speaker knows nothing about the alleged trucking.

Magistrate Fumba Swaray of Margibi County told this reporter that he has not received any official complaint, so there was no case to pursue regarding the incident.

By Ramsey N. Singbeh, Jr. in Margibi-Editing by Jonathan Browne