Paynesville – Montserrado County has always been the stronghold of the ruling Congress for Democratic Change, which has consummated into Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) until current Senator Darius Dillon got an overwhelming victory over the party’s candidate in a by-election that resulted from the death of Jeredine Doe Sheriff who served on the ticket of the CDC.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah, [email protected]
But the party is putting a fight against Dillon, the incumbent senator who is seeking reelection, as officials of the CDC have vowed to do all to reclaim their stronghold.
They have put up one of their trusted partisans, Thomas P. Fallah who currently represents Montserrado County District 5 for the December 8 midterm senatorial battle. The political leader, President George Manneh Weah, believes the county must be won at all cost.
President Weah, speaking at the launch of campaign that brought together tens of thousands of supporters at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex on Saturday, said it was frustrating for a county that is noted to be a stronghold of the CDC to be won by a member of the opposition block.
Now as head of the ruling establishment, he sees it befitting to ensure that what the CDC viewed as its terrain will not be won by an opposition figure.
“We are gathered here to show our support for Rep. Fallah for the Senate of Montserrado County,” President Weah said.
“Montserrado is our stronghold, it’s our territory and practice ground, and we will never allow anyone to take it away from us again,” he added.
President Weah wants partisans of the CDC to join forces in ensuring that Representative Fallah becomes victorious in the upcoming midterm election.
“We call on every one of you to come together and let us support Representative Fallah. He is our candidate and he will go there and win the race from anyone who will contest against us,” President Weah stressed.
Saturday’s gathering saw the CDC putting out a massive crowd, other than what was witnessed during campaign era of the midterm term elections that featured Paulieta Cecee Wie against incumbent Dillon.
President Weah added: “This gathering is intended to ‘recapture’ Montserrado and this can only happen in the wake of unity, love and oneness. Remember, united we stand and divided we fall.”
President Weah cautioned supporters of Representative Fallah to remain peaceful in their political quest to reclaim Montserrado County.
At the same time, he told Representative Fallah that, as the party’s candidate for the midterm senatorial elections in Montserrado, he must take on the responsibility to ensure that his supporters remain peaceful.
President Weah further responded to decision by his for teammates Kelvin Sebwe and Pewee Bestman to join the CDC, saying “we welcome you back home.”
“Do not take decision when you are angry, but think about your mission and ensure that Montserrado be recaptured by you,” the Liberian leader maintained.
“I want to welcome all of our partisans and friends that went to see elsewhere, but we like to say there is nowhere like home.”
At the same time, President Weah has urged Liberians to keep following all the preventive measures of COVID-19, so as to protect themselves and the public at large
Delivering his campaign statement to supporters, Fallah told electorates to vote him based on his past records as a lawmaker.
According to him, developmental trademarks and the kind of leadership skills he has demonstrated while serving Liberians as an opposition lawmaker demonstrate all it takes for him to become a good Senator.
“I will not let you down, I can assure you that the confidence you will repose in me will not go unnoticed in Montserrado,” Representative Fallah craved supporters’ Votes.
“You have said to us, we must reclaim Montserrado and it is incumbent upon us not to sit and wait, but to execute your mandate.”
However, he said achieving such a milestone can only be done when government and citizens join efforts to bring those basic social services to the people.
Therefore, Fallah is seeking the support of electorates of Montserrado, not based on party line, but for the sake of improving on developmental gains he has already made in parts of Montserrado as a district representative for the past 14 years.
In the same way, Montserrado County District 8 Representative, Acarous Moses Gray, says the launch of a campaign in Montserrado marks an occasion that the CDC does not only intends to reclaim Montserrado, but to become victorious in the rest of the other counties.
“The decision we are about to make is a decision that all CDCians must be a part of, because we are voting for total change,” Gray stated.
Meanwhile, the campaign chairman of CDC in Montserrado, Representative Saah H. Joseph said the huge turnout at SKD Complex is a manifestation that his candidate, Fallah, is poised to win against a strong force, Dillon.
For this reason, Senator Joseph has vowed not to contest the 2023 elections as a Senator if the CDC loses to Dillon.
“If we don’t win this election, I will not run for 2023,” Senator Joseph told President Weah.
“We have been behind in Montserrado County and we want to make the difference this time.”
Senator Joseph has, therefore, expressed conviction that the pending elections for Montserrado is over, owing to the fact that the number of supporters shown by Thomas Fallah at the start of the campaign indicates the willingness of electorates of Montserrado County to give him maximum support.