MONROVIA – A Group of Citizens from Grand Kru County under the banner “The Friends and supporters of Grand Kru County senatorial candidate Dr. Alfred Toe Segbe” have condemned and accused incumbent senator Peter Coleman of masterminding intimidation of their candidate at the Roberts International AirPort by officers of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS).
However, the Officer of Senator Peter Coleman has denied the accusation. According to Mr. Jinkins D.N Pelenah, Chief of Office Staff to Senator Peter Coleman, his boss has no link to the Situation at the Airport and that what happened can only be explained by Mr. Segbe himself.
In a statement issued by the Friends of Candidate Toe Segbe, at the Roberts International Airport on Monday, their candidate was harassed, humiliated, and detained without any genuine reason, with money or cash ransom was demanded from him by Immigration officers.
“Dr. Alfred Toe Segbe has been traveling in and out of Liberia for the past 20 (twenty) years with all necessary traveling documents which makes one wonder why his movements were hinder at a time that Dr. Segbe is a frontrunner in the Grand Kru senatorial midterm election.”
They believe the latest action of Immigration officers at RIA towards Dr. Segbe is in addition to a series of “violent campaign tactics” that is being allegedly launched by Senator Coleman and his supporters to reduce the fast-growing momentum associated with Dr. Segbe’s election across the county.
“We want to call on members of the International community including the United Nations (UN), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Union (AU), European Union (EU), the United States Embassy, etc. to intervene to advert what could be a very chaotic campaign in Grand Kru County as Team Segbe will respond to any violent provocation against our candidate in any manner and form if nothing is done.
“Additionally, we humbly plead with the CDC and President Weah including Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa and the senate pro-tempore Albert T. Chie (GrandKru’s two progressive lawmakers) to advice senator Coleman and team to display order in the Grand Kru County election campaign if we must all protect the image of the party and Grand Kru County as many of Dr. Segbe supporters are cdcians who support the Pro-poor Agenda of this government, but simply rejecting Coleman because of his horrible past records with the CDC and poor performance.
They further accused the Incumbent Senator of “miserably failing” to perform satisfactorily at the capitol Building over his nearly nine years stay and call on their supporters to vote him out on 8 December 2020.
Case at NEC
In another round of accusation, the group says they strongly believe that the complaint filed at the National Elections Commission (NEC) by candidate Lawrence Clarke in which he questioned Dr. Segbe nationality is the handwork of Hon. T.H Numene Bartekwa and peter Coleman.
“Their intent is to deny our candidate from participating in the election. Lawrence Clarke is being used as a stooge by these two contenders to allow them to have an easy ride in the election as candidates. Clarke is insignificant to the body politics of Grand Kru County. Finally, Team Segbe wants to use this medium to inform all her supporters, sympathizers and many well-wishers that Dr. Alfred Toe Segbe is going to be on the ballot regardless of these distractions.”
Stop pointing fingers in our direction
In further respond, the Office of Senator Dr. Peter S. Coleman and the Campaign Management Committee clarified that they are not a party to what is circulating on the SOCIAL MEDIA concerning a challenge to Candidate Alfred Toe Segbe registration on the basis of citizenship.
“Senator Coleman remains the fore-runner in the pending elections and believes that all citizens of Liberia must be allowed to participate in the democratic process.” He stressed that be it naturalized citizens or those from the diaspora who have taken up other nationalities, let all be allowed to participate as the playing field is leveled.
“It is worth mentioning that whoever Alfred Toe Segbe foes maybe, should be found and let people with sinister reasons. “Stop pointing fingers in our direction. The pending elections, will be based on what has been done for the people and the tangibles that can be seen visibly in the county.
Let all the distractions rest as we are not very far from the campaign process where the full force of the Coalition For Democratic Change will march forward to retain the Senatorial Seat. We cannot use subtle threats to scare away perceived opponents. Dr. Segbe is not any priority for us in terms of contenders. His probability to win remains a mirage.”