Monrovia – At least one person is reported dead and several wounded in clashes between supporters of Cornelia Kruah-Togba of the Unity Party and supporters of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change led by its Youth League Chairman, Jefferson Koijee, who is also the Mayor of the City of Monrovia.
She represents the tripartite arrangement between Unity Party, Unity Party and the Alternative National Congress.
Cornelia is contesting the District 13 electoral seat on the Liberty Party ticket. She’s the daughter of Liberia’s Post and Telecommunication Minister, Cooper Kruah.
Reports gathered by FrontPageAfrica say Koijee, Representative Solomon George and a team of militants who were to launch the campaign of the CDC candidate, John J. Weah, in Iron Factory, invaded the camp of Cornelia in Gardnersville where she was also having her campaign activities ongoing, thereby causing commotion.
Gboko Stewart, a member of Cornelia’s media team told this FrontPage Africa that the CDC militants attacked the convoy of Cornelia which escalated the clashes.
Despite several attempts, FrontPage Africa has not been able to get reaction from the CDC camp.
“They’re not having their campaigns at the same place, I don’t understand why would Koijee as the Mayor of Monrovia would try to do this thing; why would he lead his men to do this kind of thing… It’s really disheartening,” said Gboko Stewart, a member of Cornelia’s campaign media team.
Speaking on the incident in an interview, Cornelia expressed disappointment in President George Weah for continuing with the campaign of his party’s candidate despite the death of a citizen ‘caused’ by members of his party.
Cornelia alleged that the young female supporter was stabbed to death by members of the CDC.
FrontPage Africa, however, cannot confirm this information.
“By the time he heard that there was violence, he should have stopped at the site of the violence, not to go and stand on the field and give support to somebody or she should have stayed away,” she said.
She alleged that Koijee is using his position to harass and intimidate peaceful citizens.
It can be recalled that the CDC Youth League this week held a press conference accusing Minister Kruah and Public Workds Manbutu Nyepan of using their ministerial positions to sponsor candidates in the upcoming elections in Montserrdo County District 13 and Sinoe County, respectively.
“The youth league has information available through its intelligence bureau suggesting that Mr. Kruah has his daughter in the race in District 13, Montserrado County on the ticket of the Unity Party and is using his position and affiliation with government to undermine the mighty Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) candidate, John J. Weah,” Emmanuel T. Swen Secretary General of the CDC said in a during a press conference on Monday.
“Furthermore, our attention has been drawn to Mr. Nyepan, who is supporting an opposition candidate Romeo Quiah against the party’s candidate in Sinoe County.”
According to Swen, these acts being carried out by the two stewards of government are ‘disingenuous’ and contravenes the agenda of the CDC-led government.
He said it is unwarranted for the two to serve two key governmental positions in the CDC leadership and engage in political battle with the party.
The Youth League through its Secretary General wants Mr. Kruah and Nyepan to disembark from their alleged plot against the CDC in the pending by-elections.
“We want to remind these two individuals that the positions they occupied as ministers came on the basis of sweat and blood shared by supporters of CDC. These people cannot be victims for ensuring the popular people’s victory,” Swen added.
Liberty Party Political Leader Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence and Vice Chairman for Political Affairs Abe Darius Dillon were also there to support the UP Candidate. They were bodily taken out of their cars by supporters and residents of New Georgia Estate into safety from the chaos.