Palala, Bong County – He is viewed as the preferred candidate by many but some say he is very new to the Liberian political landscape and will therefore need a little more time to settle and gain prominence in the country’s body politics but that has not stopped Alexander Cummings, standard bearer of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) from intensifying his campaign with less than a month to the conduct of polls.
Report by Selma Lomax, [email protected]
While numerous opinion polls are putting Vice President Joseph Boakai in the lead in Bong County, Cummings is working overtime to sway voters in the last minute, counting on what is now believed to be the excess baggage on the Boakai campaign team in the county.
While the candidates are now focusing on Monsterrado County, Cummings is touring Bong and gaining huge support from the people.
The ANC political leader is making maximum use of the growing frustration by the people against some lawmakers in Bong County with a promise to wipe the tears of the disappointed people.
“If some of your Bong County lawmakers lied to you, I will not be like them,” Cummings said. “I am a man of my words.”
Lawmakers including Rep. Corpu Barclay of electoral district seven, Rep. Prince Moye of electoral district two, Rep. George Mulbah of electoral district three, Rep. Edward Karfiah of electoral district five and Rep. Tokpah Mulbah of electoral district one have all endorsed Vice President Boakai.
Of the five, only two lawmakers, Rep. Moye and Rep. George Mulbah could influence voters for the vice president because they have managed to attract the dividends of democracy back to their people over the years.
Claims about failure dogging some lawmakers of Bong County lawmakers who are supporting the candidature of Vice President Boakai heightened Thursday, September 14, 2017 when citizens of Zoweinta, Palala, and David Dean’s towns endorsed the candidacy of Cummings during his campaign tour of these populated places.
There are 13 administrative districts and seven political districts in Bong County. Five of the seven lawmakers of the seven political districts have endorsed the candidacy of Boakai.
Some of the lawmakers that have endorsed Vice President Boakai candidacy have grown unpopular with the people and the Vice President is likely to feel the pinch of getting the support of these unpopular lawmakers.
Voters anger against UP lawmakers could aid Cummings in his final push for votes in Bong County.
Kokoyah could fall to Cummings
In Kokoyah District, home to Bong County Senator Henry Yallah, citizens have pledged to support the candidacy of the ANC political leader.
The citizens through their leader, Prince Dakanah, said they were supporting the ANC because they believe in the ideology of Cummings.
“We know that Cummings and Sulunteh can bring the desired change,” Dakanah said amid cheers from the crowd.
The Unity Party Bong County chapter divided its campaign team into cells. In the entire Kokoyah District, where there are three different dominant tribes Kpelle, Gio and Bassa it takes a strong campaign team to get votes from a complex district.
Senator Yallah is tasked to spearhead the campaign of the Unity Party in Kokoyah district and other areas in electoral district one. But his presence there could worsen things for the Unity Party.
Citizens are accusing Yallah, a former student leader of the Bong County Student Union, of failing to deliver. In Kokoyah, Dakanah said of Yallah: “We will not vote for the Unity Party because of Yallah.”
“He has not done anything for us then he telling us to vote for Unity Party.”
Though Yallah is not seeking for any elective post like the five other lawmakers who are seeking re-elections, citizens of Kokoyah District and Kpaii say they are going to punish the Unity Party because of Yallah.
The resentment against some incumbent lawmakers is clearly visible in electoral district five, where the incumbent Edward Karfiah is facing serious re-election challenge.
Like the case of Yallah, worse for Karfiah, the ANC vice running mate Sulunteh, hails from Suakoko, which is one of two administrative districts making up district five.
Sulunteh has been propagating the message of the ANC in Suakoko and Yellequelleh districts and is believed to be causing obstacle for the re-election of Rep. Karfiah.
Besides, the lawmaker is being accused of diverting government-funded scholarship to his own use, where students who are not supporting his political quest have not benefited from the scholarship over the years, a claim Rep. Karfiah has since rebuffed.
Bong County has a total of 201, 508 registered voters, and third populated county, according to the National Elections Commission’s Voter Roll Update.
Yallah, Karfiah, Barclay’s support for the vice president could be a minus, according to political pundits because they have been struggling to propagate the message of the Unity Party to citizens amid claims of failure that are dogging her third term bid.
UP could win Districts two and three
The Unity Party campaign team in Bong County boasts of an influential person in Rep. Moye.
The lawmaker has a growing influence in electoral district two and Gbarnga. Rep. Moye, since becoming representative of the district, has commissioned over 62 people-centered projects in the district.
Since 2011 when he became representative, he continues to spend One million Liberian dollars toward tuition aid for students in district two. Political pundits say it is because of Rep. Moye’s achievements in the district that has seemingly prompted two candidates to register to contest against Rep. Moye – the least number in the country.
The Liberty Party candidate Melvin Savage and ANC’s Matthew Siakor might not thwart Rep. Moye’s support for Boakai.
The same is being said of Rep. George Mulbah. The Bong caucus chair, who is seeking a third term, has been wooing support for the vice president of late. His popularity could propel him to a successful third term and significantly help the vice president.
Besides, the Unity Party is also blessed to have a youth, Tormue Queminee as its Deputy Campaign manager for Bong County. Queminee’s popularity cuts across Bong and his appointment as deputy campaign manager seems to be reaping the political dividends for the Unity Party in the county.
Political pundits say Bong is too big in size for three influential persons to campaign for the Unity Party and succeed amid the presence of Alternative National Congress, Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC), Liberty Party (L)P and All Liberian Party (ALP), regarded as the five parties in the running for the county.
How the Unity Party put its house together in Bong County ahead of October 10 polls remains to be seen.