Grand Gedians Petition Liberian Journalist to Contest in 2017

Tchien, Grand Gedeh County – Youth, women and elders of Tchien District in Grand Gedeh County have officially presented a petition to Liberian journalist Justice Randall Clarke requesting the youthful native of the county to contest in the ensuing 2017 representative election in their constituency.

The constituents who have also embraced Clarke’s movement – Friends of Justice Randall Clarke (FoJRC) in Electoral District #1, Grand Gedeh County said in the petition statement that they whole heartedly request his participation in 2017 to redeem what they termed as ‘the heritage that their District has lost for many years’.

“We deem it fate and necessary to extend this request to you due to the darling contributions you have made and continue to make to the District, Grand Gedeh County, and to Liberia, at large, through your profession, support to the education of youths, involvement in community service, as well as you people-centered advocacy,” the statement said.

The petition statement which was read by Jaty Kafor, a prominent female of the district, described the youthful Liberian broadcast journalist as zealous, confident, competent and charismatic emphasizing that Clarke serves as an inspirational young man who has the ability to politically lead the present generation to a paradise, adding that he is a model of the future generations.

“You are known to be an impartial person with integrity and respect for diversity, and we are convinced that this quality of yours, when translated at the Legislature, will help foster development in your district, county and country,” the statement continued.

Further describing Clarke as a grass-rooter who they labelled as a person the district – mainly youth – can depend on in terms of delivering on promises and key legislative functions, the petitioners hailed his quality of being proactive and determine to work in their interest while expressing confidence that he can ably represent their constituency. “

We know that you can perform the rudimentary legislative work which will help save our district from backwardness, neglect, selfish money games, and deprivation of basic social services which were suffering.”

Aware of the enormous challenges their district is face with, the locals mentioned the lack of opportunities to aspire for higher education, bad roads which leads to difficult economic activities in the area, poor health care delivery, human rights issues, and poverty amongst other things.

They are assertive Mr. Clarke can work to alleviate these challenges once elected as a lawmaker in 2017. “We are ready and will ensure that you champion our hope in 2017and after so that we can regain our lost voice at the House of Representatives,” petitioners said in their statement.

At the petitioning program held recently in the District, locals blasted politicians they termed as promoters of  selfish desires at the detriment of the district, adding that  it is expedient to elect who they dubbed  ‘a very true son of the land’, which they claim will lead a popular effort of transformation in their District. “Therefore, we fervently promise you that we will not disappoint you or let you down on the path of achieving what we have long envisioned n District #1, Grand Gedeh County,” the statement concluded.

Clark Accepts Petition

Speaking to FrontPage Africa on Tuesday, April 19 Justice Randall Clarke said he has accepted the petition after weeks of carefully studying the request of his kinsmen and revealed that he has however quit his job at the United Nations radio in Liberia where he worked over three years as a broadcaster.

“For the determination that I have and how my people believe in me, I’m ready to stand for them,” Clarke told FPA. “It is a task I can perform and once my people have shown that they have explicit confidence in me I ready to contest and of course I know we can do great things together as a people,” He added.

Already, there are at least eight other names popping up to contest in 2017 against incumbent lawmaker, Zoe Emmanuel Pennue, who might be contesting for the third term after successful winning the elections of 2005 and 2011 in the district.

Incumbent’s Predicament

Grand Gedeh County has three electoral districts with 2011 representative elections in the county recording over 30,000 voters’ participation. But expected voter apathy may affect participation considering the dropped in the counted valid votes in 2014 during the special senatorial elections which saw Marshall Dennis of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) triumphing with 6,148 votes out of 17, 126 votes amongst 11 candidates including Representative Pennue.

Back in 2011 during the representative election in Tchien District, Pennue, as Independent candidate, won with 5,851 votes out of a total of 10,252 valid votes defeating three others including Camile Vlendy Charafeddine who scooped second place with 3,057 votes, according the National Elections Commission.

The political variables may change in the coming months which may leave the Grand Gedeh County’s District One Lawmaker hanging in the balance. Already, reports emerging from the county say he will have to grabble with and respond to assertions and allegations. Some constituents accused Rep. Pennue for being dormant at the Capital, claiming he has now fully aligned with the Unity Party only to please President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

Moreover, some constituents slamming the lawmaker for ignoring the concerns of Grand Gedians who have been sentence to imprisonment for reported mercenary deeds in neighboring Ivory Coast. Some of his constituents say he flopped when he pleaded with Presidents Sirleaf and Ivorian leader Alassane Ouattara to invest in coco and coffee productions instead of advocating for the 13 Grand Gedians behind bars. 

Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, [email protected] – Reporter