-Snowe points finger
Bomi County District One Representative Edwin Melvin Snowne, who is vying for the senate, alarms here that the managing director of the National Port Authority Bill Twehway, heads the campaign team of his [Snowe’s] main rival, former speaker Alex Tyler in the county.
According to Rep. Snowe, when MD Twehway was appointed by the ruling Coalition chairman Mulbah Morlu to head the CDC campaign team in Montserrado County, he rejected on grounds that such preferment could breach the code of conduct for public officials.
Under the Code, appointed officials with desire for elected position are to resign two years prior to election, and that appointed officials should not use public assets such as vehicles and other logistics to campaign in an election.
But Snowe raises red flag that after Twehway had rejected said role in Montserrado, the NPA boss is allegedly in Bomi County campaigning for Tyler, telling citizens of the county if they don’t vote for Tyler in special senatorial election, there would be no development in their county.
He further claims MD Twehway told the people he has a direct mandate from President George Manneh Weah to campaign for Tyler in Bomi County.
But the spokesperson for the National Port Authority Malcom Scott denies his boss involvement in Tyler’s campaign. Speaking to this paper Monday in Monrovia via mobile phone Mr. Scott however, admitted MD Twehway had gone to Bomi to visit his friend, Tyler and not to campaign for him.
According to him, Snowe has sensed his defeat and is bent on making wide allegations.
But speaking on Truth Breakfast show (FM 96.1) on Monday,09 November Rep. Snowe revealed that Twehway along with General Services Agency Deputy Director William Dakel and Transport Minister Samuel Wlue were in Bomi County campaigning for Tyler and threatening the people of Bomi that they risking losing development if Tyler is not elected the next senator there.
He adds that these officials were seen in Bomi County, using the Ministry of Transport’s motorbikes to carry on campaign activities.
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“Twehway rejected the position in Montserrado and accepted to run a campaign for Tyler in Bomi County as though Bomi is a bush and the news from there cannot be brought to town. He even opened a radio station for Tyler campaign activities.” Re. Snowe details.
He stresses the need to respect the rule of law, noting that not because people are in power so they should do anything they want to do against the law. “There will be a tomorrow. Those who were part of the CDC for a long time can still freely talk to opposition unlike the ones that just joined; if you’re not for their party, they don’t bother with you and don’t even speak to you.”
Snowe himself, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, says Liberia should be at a maturity stage where people from different political parties can join hands and work together for the betterment of the country noting, everyone cannot be for one party.
At the same time he strongly criticizes the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change and its national chairman, Mr. Mulbah Morlu for recently calling on all government employees to support CDC candidates in the senatorial race.
Rep. Snowe wondered why a ruling party that should protect the interest of all Liberians would make such statement, terming it unacceptable and unwarranted in contemporary Liberian politics. He says Liberians should be given the opportunity to choose candidates of their choice instead of imposing on their will.
He explains that those in the ruling establishment are his friends but the right thing should be done warning, if the governing party failed to follow the laws of the land, he would always go on the radio to remind them respectfully.
“The CDC’s chairman Morlu is a good friend of mine but to make such statement like that is wrong and I think we all should discourage it. Working [for] the government as a Liberian is fundamental right of all Liberians,” he reminds.
Rep. Snowe served as speaker for the 52nd Legislature under the administration of ex-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, but was impeached for grandstanding with the Executive and subsequently succeeded by Alex Tyler, who came from the former ruling Unity Party.
Besides, he is a close friend of President George Manneh Weah and served as president of the Liberia Football Association under jailed former President Charles Ghankay Taylor when the ex-soccer icon was in the middle of his professional career.
Now an Independent candidate, he along with archrival Tyler and others are vying to unseat incumbent Senator Sando Dazoe Johnson in Bomi County.
By Ethel A. Tweh& E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor– Editing by Jonathan Browne
