Gbarnga, Bong County – Commercial motorcycles operators in Gbarnga, otherwise known as “Pehn Pehn riders” in Gbarnga on Friday, September 15, 2017 pledged their support to the presidential bid of the standard bearer of the Coalition of Democratic Change CDC), Senator George Mannah Weah.
Report by Selma Lomax, [email protected]
A member of the group, Patrick Makonah, who spoke during a solidarity visit to Senator Weah, pledged to mobilize all their members across the county.
He explained the solidarity visit was to show was to show Weah their voter cards as a mark of assurance of their votes.
Weah was scheduled to meet with the “Pehn Pehn” riders at 9:00a.m in the morning, they began arriving at his hotel as early as 7”am.
By 08.00 am when Weah eventually came out to address them, the “Pehn Pehn riders had taken over all roads linking the area, thereby making it difficult for both pedestrians and vehicles to have easy passage.
According to Makonah, the essence of coming to show Weah their voter cards was to debunk the claim in some quarters in Gbarnga that hundreds of people who usually follow Weah about do not have electoral value because they do not have voter cards.
“Senator Weah, we have come to show you over voter cards because people have been saying the Pehn Pehn riders that are behind didn’t register for the October 10 election,” Makonah said.
He pledged the support of his members at the over 20 parking stations in Gbarnga for the CDC presidential candidate, saying they would forever remain grateful to him for his what he has done for the country.
He said “Pehn Pehn” riders in the county are fully in his support and would unite to change the Unity Party-led government.
Weah, who personally kitted them with crash helmets one after the other, promised to dignify the job of “Pehn Pehn” business if elected.
He promised to partner with commercial motorcycle riders to boost the transportation industry in the country.
Weah told them that if elected, he would formulate programs and policies in the transport sector to ensure that no aspect of the country’s economy is left out.
“I am aware of the support that you gave to my vice standard bearer Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor during the 2014 senatorial election,” Weah said.
“During that election, you were in the rain and the sun for Senator Taylor. On such day, you did not work. I want this make this pledge to you that I will improve this sector.”
Continuing, he added: “I am sure that same support you gave her that made her win as senator of Bong County, you will give the CDC that same support on October 10, 2017.”
Meanwhile, the president of the Bong County chapter of the Liberia Motor Transport Union (LMTU), Samuel Elliot, told FrontPageAfrica Friday that the endorsement of the CDC presidential candidate by members of the organization has been refuted.
Samuel Elliot described the endorsement as misleading and untrue.
Addressing journalists after an emergency meeting of the group, the Mr. Elliot explained that the organization doesn’t endorse candidates.