Monrovia – With less than three weeks to the December 8, 2020 Special Senatorial Elections, Montserrado County’s incumbent Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, has announced his campaign team to spearhead his re-election bid.
The announcement comes just a day after the Supreme Court lifted the temporary ban placed on campaign activities.
Making the pronouncement on Wednesday at the Liberty Party’s national headquarters in Congo Town, Senator Dillon said although those appointed will coordinate the affairs of the campaign, the most important campaign team is all of his supporters of Montserrado County and outside that have stood with him along the way.
“Our campaign team is more of a fold of a people. So, it will be run from the bottom –top so that it can be coordinated and people can know the go-to persons. And for coordination purposes, openness and accountability purposes, we are hereby naming these persons. But all persons from Montserrado that support our campaign, you are a member of our campaign team,” Senator Dillon said.
He continues: “The biggest and most important campaign team that we have is our people. All of you are part of our campaign team. Where we can’t reach, serve as ambassadors as you have been doing. Keep the prayers going, we appreciate your energy, your sacrifice and your time.”
Who is on the List?
The team, made of members of the four Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) is headed by Martin Kollah (Liberty Party). Mr. Kollah is a former Representative Candidate of Montserrado County District #6, who now serves as Chief of Staff of Senator Dillon. He is assisted by Ulysses Barchue (ANC) as Deputy Campaign Manager.
Other notable names include Liberty Party’s stalwart and businessman Musa Hansa Bility, as head of campaign strategy, with popular talk show host and head of the Council of Patriots (CoP), Henry Pedro Costa as his deputy.
The former Deputy Director General of the Liberia Broadcasting System, Patrick Honnah, Unity Party’s Secretary-general Mo Ali and Kla Edward Toomey are communication strategists.
Campaign advisors include the head of the four political parties that make up of the CPP including former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai (Unity Party), CPP’s Chairman Alexander Cummings (Alternative National Congress), Senator Nyonblee Karngar Lawrence (Liberty Party) and Mr. Benoni Wilfred Urey (All Liberian Party).
See the full List:
Martin Saye Kollah, General Campaign Manager
Ulysses Barchue, Deputy Campaign Manager
Abel Plackie, Head of Press and Public Affairs
Momo Sambola, Head of Auxiliaries
Samuel D. Zarbay, head of campaign security
Augustine Fredrick, Head of Poll Watching
James Yoougie, head of campaign secretariat
J. Cyrus Saygbe, Sr., Coordinator, Friends of Dillon, Liberia
Eddie B. Miller, Coordinator, Pro Bono Professional Group, Liberia
Mulbah k. Yorgbor, Representative, Council of Patriots
Byron Brown, Representative, CPP Solidarity Brigade
Campaign Strategy Team
Musa Hansan Bility, Head of Campaign Strategy
Henry Costa
Stephen Johnson
Christiana Bedell Marshal
To be continued…
Communication Team
Kla Edward Toomey
Patrick Honnah
Mohammed Ali
To be continued…
Budget & Finance
Wadei Powell
Precilla Cooper
Telia Urey
Georgia Linda Tulay
Members
Campaign Managers of the 17 Electoral Districts of Montserrado County
CPP Campaign Managers of the 17 Electoral Districts
Ten Representatives each, from ALP, ANC, LP and UP
Diaspora Coordination Team
Emmanuel Yarto, Diaspora Campaign Coordinator (DCC)
Hawa Yormie Moore, Deputy DCC
Junior B. Zuu, Head of MADDAS Diaspora
Abraham Walker and Octavious Gilman, Dispora Head of Communications
Campaign Advisors
Ambassdor Joseph N. Boakai, Political Leader, UP
Senator Nyonblee K. Lawrence, political Leader, LP
Hon. Alexander B. Cummings, Political Leader, ANC
Hon. Benoni W. Urey, Political Leader, ALP
Chairpersons of political Parties of the CPP
Diaspora Team
Wilmot Cyrus Pailey and James Larsah, Diaspora Head of Strategy
David Lavela, Diaspora Head of Poll Electioneering
Joshua Porte, Diaspora Head of Operations and Logistics
Melvin Deshield, Coordinator, Friends of Dillon, Europe
Saliah Siryon, Coordinator, Friends of Dillon, Australia
Samuel Tamba Goi, Coordinator, Friends of Dillon, Asia
All States/Countries Coordinator outside of Liberia
Meanwhile, Senator Dillon’s announcement of his campaign team also comes a day he was presented L$2,165,225, which was generated from a dollar rally by Friends of Dillon (FOD) to help fund his campaign activities.
Presenting the money, the Chairman of the rally, JCyrus Saygbe, Sr. said the money was the people’s way of expressing their love and support for Dillon in his re-election bid.
He said the money was a hand of support extended from the every sector of Montserrado, adding, “from a widow’s might to the little profit of a yonder boy (street vendor), they want you to keep the light shining.”
“We see desperation from the other side of the political aisle, but we believe that you, as a light will continue to brighten that lamp so that whatever that is hidden will be uprooted,” Mr. Saygbe said.
Senator Dillon thanked the group and every other contributor including the diaspora Liberians for the support.
The incumbent Montserrado County Senator who offset the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) in his landslide victory in the 2019 by-election is hoping to repeat the feat comes December 8.
In what has been duped, ‘the battle for Montserrado’, Senator Dillon is up against nine other contestants, but political pundits believe that the race will be between him and the ruling party’s candidates, Representative Thomas P. Fallah of Montserrado County District #5.