MONROVIA – Lofa County Senator Steve Zargo has accused President George Weah, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Nathaniel F. McGil,l and their CDC “cronies” of “wickedly” denying Lofa County a full representation.
He made the statement at a Press Conference on Thursday March 24, 2022.
During his press conference, the Lofa County lone Senator promised that the people of Lofa will not allow President Weah and his CDC to survive what he referred to as a “political onslaught on LOFA”. “
Sen. Zargo: “No, they will not! We will reach throughout the nooks and crannies of Wologizee to defend LOFA. The fighting spirit of the Condo confederation, the spirit of our ancestors Fala Wobo, Sididiki Kamara, Tamba Taylor, Chief Kollie, Oldman Kaba, the Koiyongees, and Tarnues will reinvigorate our fighting spirit to reclaim the denied, vacant senatorial seat.”
He also accused the Government of Liberia of spending almost US$2 million to do ‘wrong’ by conducting by-elections to replace Brownie Samukai who along with the people of LOFA have already begun the process by making good fifty percent (50%) of the court ruling. He referenced the Roland Kaine’s and Abu Kamara’s cases that had similar offenses but said when it comes to Brownie J. Samukai and Lofa, they are treated differently with a different standard.
Sen. Zargo: “I am returning to Lofa because my county has been delivered a trojan house. With the May 10, 2021, the CDC folks have taken the war to our doorsteps. There is no turning back. LOFA is prepared to fight politically to savage the land of Toryan . A Truth telling people.
“As we close, NEC and MFDP have not agreed on the proposed US$2 million by NEC to conduct this illegal election in Lofa. The amount of US$1.9 M is not approved by this August Body (the Legislature). As we close today, notwithstanding, George M. Weah and CDC are desperate to conduct the election.
“Equally so, we feel very strongly, as we have been advocating, that there is no vacancy and that what George M. Weah and Nathaniel F. McGill/ CDC are doing is equivalent to a declaration of war. Let them know this and know it to the core! Long live Liberia, long live the peace loving people of Lofa!”
It can be recalled that the National Elections Commission submitted to the Liberian Senate a budget of US$1,934,720.80 for the conduct of by-election in Lofa County, to fill a vacancy recently announced by President Pro-Tempore of the Senate Albert Tugbe Chie.
According to a NEC press statement dated February 25, 2022, the Commission’s decision follows the February 16, 2022 notification by Senate Pro-Tempore Chie to the NEC of the existence of a vacancy in the Liberian Senate for a seat for Lofa County.
In the statement, NEC also submitted its timeline for the conduct of the Senatorial By-election in Lofa County “in which Election Day is set for 10 May, 2022.”
The Commission noted that it is acting upon the notification of a vacancy in the Senate pursuant to Article 37 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, which states that in the event of a vacancy in the Legislature, caused by death, resignation, expulsion or otherwise, the presiding officer shall within 30 days notify the National Elections Commission thereof.
“The National Elections Commission shall not later than 90 days thereafter cause a by-election to be held, provided that when such vacancy occurs within 90 days prior to the holding of general elections, the filing of the vacancy shall await the holding of such general election.”
Meanwhile, also in the press statement, NEC announced the steering committee for the Lofa Senatorial By-election to coordinate the said election with Commissioner Ernestine Morgan Awar serving as head.
The latest episode in the saga of the ill-fated saga of Lofa County 2020 declared winner came days after President George Weah ordered an executive reprieve Mr. Brownie J. Samukai’s two-year imprisonment sentence.
President George Weah granted an executive clemency to former Defense Minister, J. Brownie Samukai, suspending his two-year jailed sentence handed down against him and upheld by the Supreme Court of Liberia.
Announcing the pardon at the Executive Mansion on Tuesday on behalf of President Weah, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill said the President’s decision is in line with Article 59 of the Constitution of Liberia which grants the President the power to act in such manner.
Last January, the Supreme Court ordered the incarceration of Mr. Samukai, the Senator-elect of Lofa and co-defendants for two years for their failure to comply with the mandate of the court – that’s to pay 50 percent of the judgement sum in the tone of US$537,828,15 within the period of six months.
The High Court ordered Samukai and co-defendants to serve two year prison term and pay the full judgement amount of US$1,147,656.35, less than the amounts already paid by them. The Supreme Court said: “Upon their failure to pay, they shall remain in prison until the full balance is liquidated at the amount of US$25 per month.
The Court’s verdict was the climax of a sustained judicial process that began in over two years ago when state prosecution filed a lawsuit against Samukai and the former Deputy Defense Minister for Administration, Joseph F. Johnson and J. Nyumah Dorkor, former Comptroller of the Ministry of Defense for mismanaging the retirement fund of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL).
On March 24, 2020, Criminal Court “C’’ found them guilty of misappropriating US$1.3 million from the AFL compulsory contributing fund that was deposited at Ecobank Liberia.