Urey tops Boakai, weah, Brumskine

A pre-election poll conducted by a non-governmental organization, Global Communications and Marketing Associates has put businessman turned politician, Benoni Urey ahead key candidates here for the pending 2017 presidential election.

The poll which was conducted in nine counties put Mr. Urey of the All Liberian Party ahead at 23%, followed by Congress for Democratic Change or CDC Sen. George Weah with 22% and Unity Party Vice President Joseph Boakai with 20%.

The responding counties are Montserrado, Bomi, Grand Capt Mount, Gbarpolu, Margibi, Grand Bassa, Rivercess, Bong and Nimba. A total of 12 pollsters participated in the random sampling exercise soliciting views from students at institution of higher learning, intellectual centers, market places and eligible voters.

According to the group’s Executive Director, Mr. Anthony K, Selmah the objective of the pre-election poll was in two fold, firstly to provide evidence based instrument on which political parties are making headways at this early stage of the electioneering process, and secondly to know the dynamics of the emerging political development using the outcome of the 2005 and 2011 general and presidential election as the baseline. He said due to bad roads condition they could not access the remaining counties.

Mr. Selmah said is organization was also interested in knowing whether or not the parties that performed considerably well in the last two elections still maintains the popularity and formidable membership leading to the 2017 legislative and presidential elections.

He also noted that since the certification of number of political parties by the National Elections Commission following the 2011 election, Liberians have witnessed massive turnouts of

lectorates at rallies and political gatherings, but past experiences have shown that massive gatherings have not necessarily produced the anticipated victorious result.
He said during the four days polling exercise, a total of 2,746 eligible electorates responded in the nine counties. Judging from the cumulative averages tabulated from the responses, the establishment parties accumulated a total percentage point of 51.46% while the newer political parties accumulated a total of 48.54%.

Selmah said if for instance, the establishment parties decide to enter into a coalition arrangement, the establishment parties will win the 2017 presidential elections in the first round of polling

but such coalition or merger between and amongst the establishment parties may not be possible considering other personal quest for leadership.-Edited by Othello B. Garblah