Kokoyah District, Bong County – Despite their not-so-cheery performance in the last seven years, the rising tempo in continuous politicking in districts in Bong County is of serious concern to discerning observers and participants in the politics of the county.
For the second-term Representatives that are seriously angling for a third term in 2017, the drum-beat of “war” to retain their seats has begun in earnest.
Most districts are adorned by material donations and cash, heralding the virtues of the incumbents.
Having learnt the ropes of administering their districts in the past seven years and hoping, in the next six, to provide social and infrastructural facilities like network of roads and scholarships, the four lawmakers who are seeking re-election in the county are busy deploying public funds in pursuit of their ambitions.
For now, blueprints have been mapped out while strategies are fortified by political associates and hangers-on through rallies in securing what could be termed as collective destinies of the incumbents.
The desperation for the third term by Representative Tokpah J. Mulbah of the Peoples Unification Party PUP, electoral district one, George Sylvester Mulbah of the National Patriotic Party and electoral district three lawmaker, District six and NPP lawmaker Adam Bill Corneh and Unity Party’s only Bong lawmaker in the county, Corpu Barclay, of electoral district seven might have been motivated by the need to leave a legacy at the end of an eighteen-year period.
District One: Tokpah Mulbah, Peoples Unification Party
The battle for the soul of electoral district one, has started in earnest. District one would be of interest to observers as the incumbent Representative, Tokpah Mulbah, has never hidden his interest in occupying the seat of representative come 2017.
As 2017 approaches, political pundits and gladiators in the district have started forming alliances and under-hand scheming for the coveted seat.
Representative Mulbah appears to be having sleepless nights as the road to 2017 is becoming bumpy.
With the latest quest of Kokoyah, a sub-district to electoral district one, leading a campaign to oust him, coupled with accusation of marginalization and failure to attract the dividend of democracy to Kokoyah district, Representative Mulbah is currently at a crossroads. This can certainly not be the best of times for him.
With a large portion of Kokoyah district seemingly plotting his failure by coming up with a consensus candidate, the lawmaker’s problems are further compounded by emergence of a renowned youth of the district, Emmanuel Kwenah.
Moreover, powerful political groupings that dictate what happens in the district are out to truncate the third term ambition of Representative Mulbah.
Though the lawmaker seems to be in control of his native town Degeh, the emergence of a parallel structure led by Liberty Party’s Junior Hills is of great seems to be concern to the lawmaker.
The Kpaii group parades almost all the political heavyweights of the district.
Representative Mulbah’s problems have further been compounded by the recent decamping of Bong gospel musician David Graulee, who pitched his camp in with lot of followers.
District Three: George Mulbah, National Patriotic Party
In what is considered as the hotbed of politics in the Bong County, the representative election in the district promises to be an epic battle between the incumbent lawmaker, Mulbah, and Edward Gboe, National Secretary of the Young Men Christian Association, YMCA.
Representative Mulbah is believed to be one of the few lawmakers in Bong County that has performed well.
He is said to have focused his attention on completion of almost all the projects he promised during his campaign in 2011.
As a person who understands the politics of the district, Representative Mulbah is at the verge of completing viable projects in the district.
This is believed to have endeared him to many but he is despised by an “Igwe” group, which accused him of betrayal.
A of Jorquelleh district three citizens called Friends of George has emerged in the district. Its influence and fierceness is even threatening to overshadow others political groups being organized by opposition in the district.
The “Friends of Mulbah” is almost fanatical in its effort of making sure that they persuade citizens of the district to see reason with the achievements of Representative Mulbah and the need for his re-election.
District Five: Adam Bill Corneh, National Patriotic Party
The political temperature in district seven is not too tense. But the fact that the lawmaker is still strong in some parts of the district should not be overlooked, according to pundits. Tribal politics has played its part in previous elections and is already taking center stage in the district ahead of the 2017 elections.
Kpelle natives are calling for a power shift, why the Muslims, however, whose kinsmen, Bill Adam Corneh, is the incumbent Representative, are pushing for the re-election of their kinsmen.
Political watchers believe that with the type of desperation being shown by kpelle aspirants, they may be in for big trouble when it comes to electing which of their kinsmen replaces Representative Corneh in 2017.
Among those touted is the current Bong Superintendent Selena Polson-Mappy, former Representative Martin Kerkulah, a former Finance Officer of Bong County Silas Tokpa, a youth advocate Lee Rogers, Women Advocate Annie Nushane and others.
Superintendent Polson-Mappy is seen as someone who has all it takes to beat all the other aspirants. This is given the fact that she enjoys the support of most local council chairmen.
Madam Nusahne is a personal friend of Senator Jewel Hoard-Taylor, and now holds the fort as the permanent of the ‘Friends of jewel’ in the district.
She is an influential member in the ‘Friends of Jewel’ fold whose supporters make the loudest noise when it comes to Representative aspiration.
She has won for herself many people through her numerous handouts. This is especially when it comes to the issue of youths.
However, critics are of the belief that, with all the noise, Nushane is not really eyeing the Representative election but is only using it as a bait to be the Marketing superintendent of Bong County.
District Seven: Corpu Barclay, Unity Party
Electoral district seven being the political melting-pot north of Bong, is witnessing a political alignment and re-alignment towards the 2017 elections.
The incumbent, Corpu Barclay is fighting to retain her seat but the odds seem not to be in her favor.
Charges of failure and perceptions by citizens of the district that the lawmaker hasn’t done much to prevail on China Union, a concession company in the District, to intervene amid claims of bad labor practice by the company is dogging the lawmaker’s third term bid.
In earnest, Rep. Barclay is being heavily challenged by Andrew Tehmeh. Fondly referred to as the Messiah or the Hope of district, this ‘new kid on the block’ may be gunning for his first-ever elective post.
But he is certainly not a green horn in politics, having dispensed his energy in working covertly for the election of Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor’s second term.
With his energy and go-get-it attitude similar to Senator Taylor’s, this dynamic, valiant and daring young man is definitely a man to watch, and one to beat in the race for the soul of district seven.
Little wonder that he has, to the astonishment and admiration of many, contained Senator Taylor’s antics.
Minister Tehmeh is enjoying growing popularity and fame perhaps as recompense for his courage and dogged determination to be his own man by taking his destiny in his hands.
Amongst them all, Tehmeh seems the only one called if pundits get it right. Tehmeh, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Information is from a background that is blessed with affluence and influence and this he intends to translate into popularity as he ventures into the race to take over the reins of steering the affairs of electoral district seven.
He is yet to make public his intention but talks making the rounds have it that this man is quietly warming and working his way to the top job.
Selma Lomax, [email protected]