PHOTO: Jubilant citizens celebrating the political fall of their incumbent Rep. Bhofal Chambers
PLEEBO, Liberia- Many residents of Maryland County District #2 have taken to the streets in jubilation, minutes after NEC official results showed House Speaker Bhofal Chambers has been defeated in the October 10, 2023 legislative election, although he had boasted that people of Pleebo Sodakan district were poised to give him a third term in the Capitol Building.
Reports say following this week’s pronouncement, citizens and residents believed to be supporters of the former student leader Anthony Williams have for more than three hours taken the streets of Pleebo with band, holding palm branches and old utensils, chanting slogans and battle cries for freedom. Commercial motorcylists were also in jubilant mood.
According to the National Elections Commission (NEC) results, Anthony F. Williams has obtained 8,105 votes, while incumbent Speaker Chambers of the ruling CDC party obtained 8,024, making the total margin of 81 votes.
Hundreds of citizens including women and youth see the defeat of the incumbent Rep. Chambers as a relief for what they say is his failure to address all that he advocated for during former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s 12-year-old regime.
Between 2006 and 2017, Rep. Chambers had consistently advocated for separate managements for the Cavalla Rubber Corporation (CRC) and the Maryland Oil Plantation (MOPP), which he said denied other people employment opportunities.
He is also said to have fought against bad labor practices and a fair share of benefits for the indigenous of the concession affected areas but Rufus Geneyan who was once Speaker Chambers’ supporter expressed dissatisfaction over the speaker’s failure to address all he early advocated for since he was elected speaker for the National Legislature in 2018.
“Speaker Chambers being a third man in the country cannot boast of anyone who becomes director or minister from Maryland County through his recommendation, but he chooses to recommend his sister as ambassador to the UK.,”
Geneyan claimed that Rep. Chambers has visited the workplaces of those who disagree with his bad leadership style to order their dismissals, evidence of which he said is the representative-elect Anthony F. Williams.
Outgoing Rep. Chambers has in recent days been publicly criticized for declaring himself winner of the the just ended election on his private Voice of Hope FM, instead of accepting the results and congratulating his kinsman Williams.
Despite his overwhelming victories over the years, he continues to deny his constituents from using the radio station he uses to badmouth other government officials and people who disagree with his leadership style in the county.
Since the commencement of the tallying process on Wednesday, October 11, Speaker Chambers continues to visit NEC Harper office with his supporters chanting battle cries and dancing around the office.
On the other hand, Anthony F. Williams supporters show up daily to demand what they termed as the protection of their votes at NEC local office in the county. Both parties have been claiming victories till 5 pm on Wednesday when the National Elections Commission made the pronouncement, putting Williams in the lead.
In recent time, both parties flooded the social media and community radio stations with hate messages and threatening comments over claims of winning the election in the absence of NEC official results, a situation that instill panic in the citizens, calling on NEC to speed up with the county’s results. The Pleebo Sodoken District seat was contested for by nine candidates including Gripman Saytue, Boimah Wah, Bessie Worlo-Nathan, Thomas Nimely, Zeway Carr, Tomoul Y. Hoto, Bhofal Chambers, Musa Lawal and Anthony Williams.