Thousands storm McGill’s petition program

Thousands of Margibi citizens on Friday, October 28, petitioned former Minister of State Mr. Nathaniel F. McGill to contest the Senatorial seat in the county.

Mr. McGill and two other top officials of the Weah regime including former National Port Authority Managing Director Bill Twehway and former Solicitor General Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus were all placed on U.S. sanction for corruption.

The trio resigned after weeks of public pressure here against their stay in offices amidst their designation by the U.S.

Notwithstanding his designation by the U.S., thousands turned out to McGill’s petitioning ceremony in Margibi County on Friday, 28 October 2022 asking him to contest the senatorial seat in the 2023 presidential and legislative elections.

Mr. McGill accepted the petition and promised to provide a robust representation that will bring meaningful development, unity, and progress to the county.

The quiet Unification City where the program was held was in a short moment turned into a very busy community. People from all walks of life thronged the place to be part of the program.

In his extemporaneous speech, Mr. McGill recounted his struggling upbringing because his parents were poor.

He said he fought poverty, and his life and career were boosted by President Weah and the need for Liberians not to give leadership positions to people who do not mean well for the country.

“As a young man coming up, I had a difficult journey. My journey was marred by a lot of sorrow. I could not afford the payment of school fees; I could not afford to have [an] LD$5,” said Mr. McGill. 

But he said only God knows the future and so his journey was tough until he was assisted by a man who had no reason to do so.

“I come in peace. I have come to unite the people of Margibi. I have not come to fight anybody in Margibi,” he told his supporters in the county.

But McGill reminded the people that 2023 will be a historic year for the country and warned them not “to allow the country [to] go into retrogression.” 

He called on the people to turn out on October 10, 2023, the day of the presidential and legislative elections to vote massively for incumbent President Weah’s re-election.

“I am very sure that on October 10, 2023, your vote will not only be for me, but your vote will also be for President George Manneh Weah,” said McGill.

He said gone are the days when people will go out and damage the image of this country and they come back and say they should be given power. 

“We are not stupid again in this country. We know our rights from wrong. We will not allow 1979 to repeat itself because Liberians know what is good for them,” he said.

Earlier, a petition statement from the citizens was read by Mark Nuah, Chairman of the Porcupine Movement of Margibi County.

Among other things, Nuah said thousands of students benefited from the presidential scholarship scheme for secondary school students in the county.

He also cited the empowerment of women, direct financial assistance to the needy, exerting influences for some citizens from the county to secure government jobs and other opportunities, and McGill’s demonstration of virtues as a true son of Margibi, among others.