Brumskine’s Buchanan candidate concedes defeat
By Christopher Yarwo, Contributing Reporter
Opposition Liberty Party (LP) leader Charles Brumskine demands a rerun of the October 10 polls branding it “invalid”, but the LP candidate in Buchanan, incumbent Rep Gabriel Smith says the people have spoken and has conceded defeat to his opponent who is topping the results.
Buchanan is Liberia’s second city situated some 88 miles from the capital, Monrovia.
“The majority have spoken and we respect their judgment and we wish all of them the best and may God bless Grand Bassa County, bless Mama Liberia and save our state,” Smith told his family members, staff and supporters at the weekend.
The candidate of another opposition party, the Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC) businessman Matthew Joe is said the be the unofficial winner in the District 3 representative race there.
Smith graciously conceded based on the outcome of the tallying done of Buchanan District number 3 that he has been representing for the past two six-year terms—12 years.
Smith, who is Vice President of the West African Caucus and Head of Delegation to the Pan African Parliament, told a live show on the local Magic FM community radio:
“This is a battle that I went in believing that we would have won; considering the extent of the work that we done, quality of representation that we provided, but you see, the judgment is the people; they have made their judgment.”
The LP candidate, who also served as Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Elections and Inauguration, told Magic FM that he has ‘to reengineer’ before moving forward with his journey of life.
“I want to use this occasion to thank the winner of the Tuesday’s election at the level of the district, in person of Mr. Matthew Joe, who in my view becomes the next representative of this district,” he told Magic FM.
The outgoing lawmaker however believes that he served his people well in the National Legislature, and prays that God will lead the district in a way that will bring honor to God and satisfaction to mankind.
According to him, “when God closes one door, he opens another.”
Other contestants vying for the lone representative seat in Buchanan are former Gender Minister Julia Duncan Cassell, former Information Minister Dr. Lawrence K. Bropleh of the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), Togar Alexander Bealded of the Grass roots Democratic Party (GDP) Elizabeth Barwon of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and Joseph Daniel of Movement for Progressive Change (MPC).