Monrovia – The loss of Montserrado County’s senatorial seat and that of the Electoral District #6 is not being taken lightly by the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) which regards the county as their stronghold.
Over the weekend President George Manneh Weah cautioned partisans of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) to stop voting against the party and to vote their party in anger in future elections in order to fully take their ‘stronghold’ back.
The President criticised his partisans for voting in candidate Abraham Darius Dillon, who was carried by four opposition political parties, under the banner, Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), during the Montserrado County by-election in 2019.
“I am not here to pick fuss. If you believe that you are not happy; to show your unhappiness is to give your votes to a non-partisan? Then it left with you. Because that person will not work in our interest, he will work in the interest of his people.”
– President George Weah
The CPP, which comprises of the four major opposition parties, includes Dillon’s own Liberty Party, Unity Party, All Liberian Party and Alternative National Congress. He was voted Senator in the by-election.
According to the President, anyone other than a partisan, won’t serve the electorates’ interests.
He further told them not to cry from the hardship when they are the ones, who gave their “territories” away.
“CDCians every day you cry ‘kokoduoko, we are the masses, we can’t get tired.’ Why are you getting tire now in your first two years?” the President asked his partisans.
“We went to an election and I heard everything. Even the leaders of the party blamed us for Monsterrado County election.”
The President spoke at the dedication ceremony of the headquarters of the local chapter in district #6 on Saturday, February 8.
“I am not here to pick fuss. If you believe that you are not happy; to show your unhappiness is to give your votes to a non-partisan? Then it left with you. Because that person will not work in our interest, he will work in the interest of his people.
“It doesn’t matter how much you are angry; if you’re really angry is to take your vote be vexed and go throw it in CDC’s box and not to give it to somebody and then you still complaining.
“Mr. President, your failure to even acknowledge that CDCians that may have voted me as Senator were and are not “vexed”, as you claimed is part of your problem. You seem to be living in denial here! You need to appreciate that they are simply shocked and disappointed at your sheer failure to properly lead and deliver as you promised them. And until you realise this fact, you will continue to lose more of them and more “territories” along the way, including your seat as President.”
– Abraham Darius Dillon, Montserrado County Senator
“We are going to election soon, if you really angry, everywhere you gave out, you have to recapture them. You cannot give your territories to people because you are angry,” President Weah told his audience.
The Liberian Leader also threw jabs at the former ruling Unity Party. According to him, he was trying to fix everything former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf “spoiled.”
Without showing any tangibles, he boasted that in two years, he has done more in term of development than what Unity Party did in 12 years.
“One people had billions of dollars and nothing change here; people now using thousands of dollars and something changing,” President Weah said.
Responding to the President’s assertions, Montserrado County Senator Dillon said the Liberian leader was being “hilarious.”
“I listened to your jabs yesterday at the dedication of your CDC District #6 Local Office, during which time you cried that ‘CDCians should never get vexed again to give your territory away.’ That was really hilarious!!”
Sen. Dillon stated that the President owns no territory in Liberia and the territories belong to the people and CDCians were not vexed to vote him.
Senator Dillon, who defeated President Weah’s CDC noted that he (Weah) is having a false sense of entitlement over territories whilst failing on his mandate to deliver.
He said, “Mr. President, your failure to even acknowledge that CDCians that may have voted me as Senator were and are not “vexed”, as you claimed is part of your problem. You seem to be living in denial here! You need to appreciate that they are simply shocked and disappointed at your sheer failure to properly lead and deliver as you promised them. And until you realise this fact, you will continue to lose more of them and more “territories” along the way, including your seat as President.”
According to the Senator, all territories belonging to the people and it is of them to decide whom to empower with their votes.
“At the moment, I am more concentrated on serving our people’s interests and aspirations as promised, and will continue to do so with humility, honesty, courage, truth, integrity, backed by the fear of God.
“In the end, the people will decide in their numbers whether or not we deserve votes again and again. It is left to you to keep having the false sense of entitlement over ‘territories’ whilst failing the people as though the people do not have eyes to see,” Mr. Dillon said.
Another member of the opposition bloc, Menipakei Dumoe, said President Weah should have been honest about why CDC lost to the CPP last year.
According to Dumoe, the President’s poor performance in office and the disgraceful levels of corruption has made CDC unattractive to a lot of the voters who went to the polls and vote in the 2019 by-election that brought Sen. Dillon to office.
Dumoe further noted nothing has changed since the government came to power and the wave of corruption has led to the anger that drove some CDCians to vote against their party.
“Look at the port dredging issue, the government had all the facts and the money to deal with issues month ago but instead of prioritizing the well-being of our people, the Weah administration looked the other way and officials such as the MD of the NPA and Weah’s ally filled their pockets and now Liberians are without gasoline.
“I can comfortably say that the voting lines will be longer than the gas lines and [they] won’t be good for Weah. Montserrado will reject CDC just as almost all of the other counties,” Dumoe said.