PHOTO: The victor, James Kolleh
By J. Peter S. Dennis, dennisrealone@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia- The National Elections Commission (NEC) has finally ruled in the electoral dispute between James Kolleh of the People’s Unification Party (PUP) and Melvin Salvage of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change following the conduct of a by-election in Bong County District #2.
The electoral body earlier announced Mr. James Kolleh as Representative elect of District #2 after winning a heavily contested poll on November 16, 2021.
NEC Chairperson, Madam Davidetta Browne Lassanah had pronounced James M. Kolleh, PUP as the representative elect of district#2 in Bong County with 4283 (33.28%) votes ahead of CDC’s Melvin Salvage 3,882 (30.17%) votes and Independent Candidate, Edward Emmanuel Gboe with 2497 (19.4%) votes across its 22 precincts and 70 polling places in the district.
But the ruling party, CDC’s candidate, Melvin Salvage has filed a complaint at the NEC on allegation of irregularities praying for a rerun in Yeadiwoan where James Kolleh won overwhelmingly.
In the final ruling on Thursday, December 23, 2021 at the headquarters of the National Elections Commission in Monrovia, NEC Chairperson, Davidetta Brown Lasanah announced Mr. Kolleh as winner of the process following the failure of complainant Salvage to provide enough evidences to substantiate his claim.
Meanwhile, Mr. Salvage has taken an appeal to the Board of Commissioners of NEC contesting the outcome of his complaint.
Electoral dispute cases mostly end up in court here in Liberia.
At the same time, some people Bong County, including women and youth groups have called on Melvin Salvage to wave the case, in order for James Kolleh to be certificated as 2023 approaches.
They also feel that if he keeps holding pressing on with his challenge of the result, it might dwindle his political ambition.
Recently, a local group under the banner “Concerned Women of Electoral District#2” appeared on a local radio station in the county calling on him curtail the legal process.
“We have not come to judge or tell someone that you are right or not. We have come to tell Melvin Salvage to leave the case because over a year now, our district has not been represented. So, for peace sake, we are calling for bargaining as you know 2023 is almost here” the women said in a major radio talk show in Gbarnga. We feel that this decision will help to foster unity and proper representation,” the women urged in a statement.
The By-election created a vacancy because former district#2 representative and Deputy Speaker, Prince Kermue Moye to the Senate on December 8, 2020.
VP Taylor blames deception for CDC’s defeat
Just a day after the election, Liberia’s Vice President Chief Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor openly stated that there was deception within the Coalition for Democratic Change, adding that it may have caused the defeat.
According to Madam Howard Taylor, some unnamed stewards did not support the choice of the ruling establishment, although she opted to hide the names of them.
Howard Taylor at that time admitted these differences are responsible for the continuous political slaps dating 2018 to present.
She feels if the party must progress in the county, it’s time that they reunion, ahead of 2023 General Elections.
Since 2018, the Coalition for Democratic Change has not won any political seat in Bong.
Three elections have been conducted in Bong- two by-elections and a senatorial election; something that opposition political parties have won. There’s only a CDC lawmaker within the Bong’s caucus.
The Congress for Democratic Change Bong County Chairman Sayblee M.V. Weyea could not confirm or deny that there is disunity within the Coalition for Democratic Change in the county; but maintained that there are issues within the Coalition, stressing the absence of the Liberia People Democratic Party, a constituent party within the Coalition.
He feels that if there are disunities, they will go back on the drawing board for settlement, adding that he doesn’t see any of it.
The recent By-election, according to political analyst, has publicly exposed the weaknesses in the CDC to the public; thereby calling for unity if they should succeed in 2023.
Liberians go to the poll in October 2023 to elect 73 representatives, 15 senators along with President and Vice President.