Ousted!

At the end of their six years’ term, majority of the lawmakers elected in 2017 through the ballot box have been voted out by their constituents during the October 10, 2023 polls. Anthony Williams, former student leader at the University of Liberia, has beaten sitting Speaker of  House of Representatives, Bhofal Chambers  over the Plebo Sodoken District legislative seat. The reports from the county indicated that Williams accumulated 8,017 votes while Chambers got 7,919, as of the electoral body’s data from October 16. However, the final tally sheet from the Magisterial Office in Harper, Maryland County,  has shown that Williams  defeated Chambers with 8,158 votes against 8,122—a difference of 36 votes. Chambers, the once all-powerful Speaker of the House of Representatives, will not be returning to the Capitol Building in the next legislature.  Rep. Acarous Gray out The ruling Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) has lost one key seats in central Monrovia to the opposition—Districts #s 8, with one of its radical executive members being defeated in the October 10 elections, results from the National Elections Commission (NEC) have shown. In the densely populated District #8, incumbent Rep. Acarous Gray has lost third term bid. The young Liberian Lawmaker is one of the tough-talking members of the House of Representatives who chair the House Committee on Executive, who is seen as one of the most radical among top CDC stalwarts. A one-time student political activist at the state owned University of Liberia (UL), Rep. Gray has over the years led a number of protest actions dating back to over a decade in the opposition movement, with one of the most recent being last March when he went on the UL Capitol Hill Campus with a band of militants. Following his arrival, the already tension-packed UL campus turned into a theater of violence, with stone throwing and rioting, amid resistance from rival students’ political factions. The trip to the University campus came after Montserrado County District #8 Representative Gray carried out his vow to go on the campus and have lunch on Monday, March 13, 2023 in the aftermath of a violent attack on an official in the office of the Finance Minister, Aloysius Howe. Coming along with him was scores of his supporters, something that annoyed students from the Students Unification Party (SUP). UL Campus Violence: Liberian Police Arrested 6.  Rep. Gray, who has since last Tuesday been posting Facebook messages declaring himself winner, to the contrary, lost his bid to return to the Capitol Building for the third term, with NEC on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 declaring his main rival, Prince Toles of the opposition Unity Party (UP) winner of the October 10 polls.

Following the close of polls last Tuesday, the CDC lawmaker and other candidates began a wave of claims of victory, even before NEC began releasing the first batch of official results. At one stage, the now declared winner, Toles also joined the fray claiming victory. Foreign diplomats and other stakeholders including the United States Embassy criticized some political parties and candidates who were beginning to pre-maturely declare themselves winners in the just ended presidential and legislative elections. In one of his statements to the media, Gray said outright victory was “certainly certain” for both him and CDC’s presidential candidate, President George Manneh Weah. However, on Thursday evening NEC Chairperson- Davidetta Browne Lansanah declared the opposition UP candidate Prince Toles winner of the District #8 poll. Immediately thereafter, the victor and many of his supporters paraded through the streets of Monrovia from 12th Street in Sinkor to the center of the Liberian capital in victory celebrations. By Frank Sainworla, Jr., fsainworla@yahooo.com/ newspublictrust.com One of the most talked about “Uphill Battles” in the 2023 Elections has just found its melting point in Grand Bassa to the dismay of hundreds of Liberians [Home and Abroad] as popularly known Rubber Dealer overpowered Incumbent Lawmaker Vincent Willie. Mr. Alfred Flomo’s triumphant record sprung out immediately when the County Magisterial Office of the National Elections Commission climaxed all the tallying responsibilities regarding votes across the five electoral districts of Grand Bassa. According to NEC’s Final Provisional Results for WEE- Electoral District four (#4), Candidate Alfred Flomo used  9,846 Votes as a decisive Knockout in the Boxing Ring to show Representative Willie the Exit route at the Capitol Building after Vincent obtained 9,549 Votes. The results demonstrate that the Rubber Dealer is inclined to the Plantation Forest near Compound three in the District where he captured the Hunter’s Son with favorable votes for his victory. The election outcome that has entered the county’ most astonishing Book of Record, has placed many political pundits and citizens in a pondering state of being; considering Sir-Vincent as a strategic and well calculative politician who had since enjoyed the admiration and support of his youthful generation. Prior to the Final Results, the two candidates and their supporters wore separate propaganda garments for the same reason as they overwhelmed the Social Media with congratulatory posts as part of strategies to have mesmerized the public and convinced their followers. During the process of campaign, the outgoing Lawmaker was the trumpeting Voice of the Coalition for Democratic Change in the county, a mood that made him glaringly popular and gained high proximity to President Weah; though he contested as Independent Candidate in WEE District alias “WEE Nation”. This made the Lawmaker shouldered the Campaign of CDC Senatorial Candidate, Janjay Baikpeh to the disadvantage of his Political Godfather, Senator Jonathan Kaipay and the expected Senatorial Race Winner,  Gbehzohn Milton Findley. For the Unity Party Candidate Alfred Flomo who has emerged winner, he championed the campaign task of his Confidant Findley despite being Unity Party’s Representative Candidate that featured outgoing Senator Jonathan Kaipay. Meanwhile, reports from WEE District and Buchanan City revealed that jubilation is ongoing in the respective constituencies by majority youths and contractors of the Liberia Agricultural Company for the election of Mr. Flomo after months of political competition. By: Onesimus Garway The National Election Commission (NEC) has also officially declared Musa Bility as the winner of the recently held legislative election for District #7 in Nimba County. The race for the legislative seat was overshadowed by tribal politics and contentious claims and counterclaims. Mr. Bility, a member of the minority Mandingo Ethnic Group, based his campaign on his outstanding track record of undertaking several development projects in the district, notably the construction of a farm-to-market road connecting various towns and villages. In contrast, his rival, incumbent Roger S. Domah, received support from Senator Prince Johnson and the Unity Party and focused his campaign on tribal politics. Domah, who served the district for six years, will now be succeeded by Bility. Announcing Bility as the election winner, NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne-Lansanah revealed that Bility, representing the Collaborating Political Parties, secured 10,003 votes out of a total valid vote count of 27,897, constituting 35.86 percent. In the densely populated District #7 of Montserrado County, which includes the largest West Point slump community; Rep. Solomon George who was making his third term bid, has been booted out by Independent Candidate Emmanuel Dahn.