MONROVIA, Montserrado – With the ongoing nomination of candidates to contest in Montserrado’s 13th district by-election, the Coalition for Democratic Change has chosen John Weah to contest on its ticket for the district’s seat.
Weah was elected during a primary held on Tuesday. He claimed 29 votes of a total of delegates of 45, closely followed by Wilmot Smith by 15 votes. Andy Jallah accrued one vote, while both Siah Thandapole and Amos Ndobor-Kpehe received none.
As the CDC choice, Weah will compete with other candidates to replace Saah Joseph, another member of the party who was also recently elected as Senator to fill the vacancy created by the election of President George Weah who previously served in the Senate.
Currently working for UNICEF Liberia, the CDC candidate congratulated partisans who participated in the primary but encouraged them to join him in the district’s election for the interest of the party and people of the district.
He promised to continue the good legacy of Joseph and the CDC administration and called on residents of the district to support his candidacy.
According to him, of all the community roads to be constructed by the government, the thirteenth district stands a chance to benefit the most, with many of its roads being rehabilitated.
“Which means the people of district 13 must be grateful to President George Weah,†he added.
He praised the district’s former representative, who according to him, played a major role in delivering the development package.
He also sent out a warning to would be opposition political party candidates that the CDC would not rest until it wins the district’s election.
“CDCians, no sleeping. Let us knock on those doors and visit everybody. I call on all CDCians to get on board for us to do this for ourselves,†he added.
The National Elections Commission has set November 20 as the date for the by-elections in the thirteenth district and Sinoe county. The Sinoe election will replace Sen. Joseph Nagbe, who was appointed as a Supreme Court justice.
The elections commission declared candidate nominations opened since September 24 and will be closed on Saturday, October 6. Replacements of lost voter cards will also be completed on Friday, October 5.
NEC’s director of public information, Prince Dunbar, said more than 13 political parties and 10 independent aspirants have picked up packages for candidate nominations.
He added that the government has approved and disbursed US$1.2 million for the conduct of the two by-elections. The commission had earlier proposed a budget of US$2 million to hold the two elections.
According to the public information director, bad road conditions leading to Sinoe remains the major challenge for the county’s senatorial by-election.
“We sent our magistrate and he spent three days to get to Sinoe,†he said.
Featured photo screenshot of KMTV broadcast
