Monrovia – Residents in this vote-rich capital, one of five likely to decide this year’s presidential race are far from puzzled as to who Senator George Manneh Weah(CDC, Montserrado County), the projected political leader of the recently-formed Coalition for Democratic Change will tip as his running mate.
t by ReporHenry Karmo, [email protected]/Edwin Genoway, [email protected]
Partisans from districts in Monrovia dressed in their blue shirts began arriving at the party’s headquarters in Congo Town in the early hours Saturday to vote on the two names likely to bear the party’s logo on the 2017 ballot.
Many told our reporter on the scene that they began trekking toward the party grounds long before dawn, with some expressing knowledge that today’s event is a coronation with Weah and Jewel poised for a preferred pairing.
The estimation is that the process is already poised to ordain former First Lady Jewel Taylor Howard as Weah’s running mate.
Located in the north-central portion of Liberia, Bong, as of the 2008 Census, had a population of 328,919, making it the third-most populous county in Liberia, joining Lofa, Montserrado, Grand Bassa and Nimba as key counties that could tip the tie of the 2017 presidential race.
Bong is also the home of Senator Jewel Taylor Howard(NPP, Bong), the former first lady to President Charles Taylor, currently serving a 50-year sentence at the Frankland prison in the northern English city of Durham.
The former president was sentenced in 2012 and arrived in the UK last October, having unsuccessfully challenged the decision to be detained there. A UN-backed court convicted him of war crimes over his support for rebels who committed atrocities in Sierra Leone.
Montserrado County, the CDC stronghold in the past two elections is expected to be split down the middle because of its proximity to the more than 20 political figures eyeing the presidency.
As of the 2008 Census, it had a population of 1,144,806, making it the most populous county in Liberia.
The county is bordered by Bomi, Bong and Margibi.
This is why CDC which recently entered a coalition with the National Patriotic Party(NPP) and the former disgraced speaker Alex Tyler’s Liberia People Democratic Party (LPDP)is hopeful of victory in the elections later this year.
Senator Taylor has already trumpeted the coalition as “the dawn of a new day”.
She recently defeated former Presidential Candidate Nathaniel Barnes(Liberia Destiny Party LDP) to put her in contention for consideration as Weah’s number two.
At the party’s headquarters in Congotown this morning, partisans like James Mulbah had strong hopes.
“I believe this coalition will work together and provide a winning ticket to address the needs of the Liberian people so everyone one can have fair distribution of the nation’s resources.”
Dressed and painted in rainbow colors with blue dominance, CDCians are now standing in front and around the blue decorated stage, as delegates and partisans from the three political parties are chanting political slogans.
Weah and Jewel are yet to arrive at the headquarters but Tyler under heavy escort of partisans and accompanied by Nathaniel Barnes of the NPP.
Fallen in Numbers
Our reporter at the scene observed that the numbers at the headquarters at the moment do not measure up to expectations, especially when compared to the 2011 rally held by the CDC.
“We still have huge partisans who did not show up here today. They not being here do not in any way suggest that we no longer have numbers.
Our party is stronger than before, we are strong and will never fall,” Mark Duo, a partisan told our reporter.
“The CDC you see today is different from the CDC yesterday. My brother,” Massa Wesseh, a female CDCian told FrontPageAfrica.
“Our strength is now being drawn from all walks of life. As you know, it is three solid parties joined together to form this new CDC so don’t overlook our strength.
Still Strong
The CDC Montserrado County Chair, Emmanuel Reeves disagreed that CDC numbers have dropped, saying the party still maintains its members with additional partisans from the LPDP and NPP respectively.
Reeves said: “Our partisans are coming; who told you these are all of our members you see here? There are people matching from Central Monrovia to our party headquarters. We still have our one million men – it is not big show.”
But the jury is still out on that estimation. Besides Montserrado expecting to be largely contested and divided amongst the 20 plus candidates running, Bong is also set to be a toss-up amid reports that both Vice President Joseph Boakai(ruling Unity Party); Alex Cummings(Alternative National Congress and Liberty Party’s Charles Brumskine are eyeing the county for running mates.