PHOTO: NEC Chair Davidetta Browne-Lansanah
By Our Staff Writer
Voters in Bong, Nimba, Grand Gedeh and Bomi Counties have rejected the candidates of President George Weah’s ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the main opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), as they lost races in the just-ended November 16 Representatives By-elections.
The National Elections Commission (NEC) on Thursday, November 18, 2021 declared winners, of the just ended By-Elections held in four of the Liberia’s 15 counties.
The by-elections conducted in Bomi, Bong, Nimba and Grand Gedeh Counties followed the election of Edwin Snowe, Prince Moye, Zoe Pennue and Jeremiah Koung as Senators in 2020.
The electoral races were either won by independent candidates or opposition candidates, despite massive campaign efforts by officials of the ruling CDC and their allies of other political parties including Nimba County Senator Prince Johnson. The CDC’s latest defeat at the polls comes in the wake of growing public outcry about bad governance and worsening economic situation being faced by the ordinary people, although President Weah boasted on his birthday in October that he and his ruling party will beat the opposition like baby in the 2023 elections.
The rejection of the CPP also comes amid a serious internal rift in the leadership over who becomes Standard Bearer for the upcoming 2023 presidential and general elections in Liberia, something that has caused many Liberians to question the CPP’s suitability as an alternative to the ruling CDC.
But the results announced by the NEC Chair, Davidetta Browne-Lansanah declared the following candidates winners: Finda Lansanah of Bomi County, Independent candidate; People’s Unification Party (PUP), James Kolleh of Bong County; Independent candidate Erol Madison Gwion of Grand Gedeh County; and Independent candidate Samuel Browne of Nimba County.
Announcing the results at NEC’s Headquarters in Monrovia, Chairperson, Browne-Lansanah thanked voters in the four counties for largely conducting themselves peacefully during the process.
The NEC Chair praised the Liberian government and partners for their support to the by-elections.