MONROVIA – Jemima Wolokollie holds a somewhat enviable position in the CDC-led government and though she’s a member of the governing party, she claims to have a vision that is different from which other members of the party have.
She made the disclosure when she appeared on T-Max Jlateh’s 50-50 Talk show on Sky FM, a local FM station in Monrovia on Wednesday to talk about her ambition to become Senator for Montserrado County – the country’s most populated county.
Wokollie knows defeating the incumbent Abraham Darius Dillon who only came in less than a year ago through a by-election is an uphill task. In her attempt to say why she believes she is most suited to contest the special election on the CDC’s ticket, she said she’s not the ordinary CDCian, her vision is different.
“If I become Senator, there will be a difference in people’s lives. But right now, people are only greedy, accumulative and spending the money within the close proximity of where they live… I am part of the party but I have different vision for this Country,” she said.
On Sunday, Madam Wolokollie announced her intention to join the Montserrado County Senatorial seat comes December 2020 on the ticket of the CDC. Her announcement comes at the time the ruling party is exploring potential candidates to take on incumbent Senator Darius Dillon.
Already, those that reportedly being considered are Montserrado County District No. 5 Representative, Thomas Fallah, Rep. Acarous Moses Gray (District No. 8, Montserrado), Assistant Gender Minister Mamensie Kabba, former Deputy Internal Affairs Minister Paulita Wie, who ran against Dillon last August, Rep. Munah Pelham Youngblood (Montserrado County, District No. 9), Professor Wilson Tarpeh, Minister of Commerce and Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee.
Speaking further on the show, she said her ability to say the truth, make things happen, and couple with her integrity and desire to always to the right things are what sets her apart from the rest of the candidates.
She admitted that the processes of selecting candidates within her party during primaries have not been fair and transparent, and said it was time to change the status quo.
“If I become Senator, there will be a difference in people’s lives. But right now, people are only greedy, accumulative and spending the money within the close proximity of where they live… I am part of the party but I have a different vision for this Country”
– Jemima Wolokollie, Deputy Minister of Commerce, Montserrado County Senatorial Aspirant
She said: “This process has not been transparent from the side of the CDC and I stand by my words. But they will choose me because I am bringing out all the ills that have happened in the party. It is just right to do that. People in Liberia are known for not correcting the wrongs, so when something happened they will say just leave it. It is wrong and we must correct the wrong go move forward. But if we keep doing the same things over and over we are going to get the same results over and over.”
Aiming further jibe at her party and without mentioning names, she said it was time to liberate the party from certain individuals who hijack the party and run its affairs as their personal property.
This time around we will not allow certain individuals to hijack the party and just carry on all they want to do. How can a few individuals – four or five persons – hijack the party and just do what they feel like doing?” she asked rhetorically.
“It is wrong. And when you talk, they sent people to curse at you on Facebook. They send people on the radio to curse at you and say negative things about you that are not true.”
When asked whether she has the pedigree to defeat incumbent Senator Dillon, Madam Wolokollie said she will be the true light.
“I am going to be the light but in different version I am not going to denigrate the government. You can’t be criticizing the government and at the same taking money undercover to live.”