GOMPA, Nimba – As the political climate becomes crowded with more and more individuals vying for elected positions, the elders of Bein Clan in Nimba’s first electoral district have endorsed the banker-turned-politician Lawrence Sua against the sitting lawmaker of the district, Rep. Jeremiah Koung.

Sua, out of six aspiring candidates in the district, won the favor of the elders in a meeting held in Neingbein Town, near Ganta, over the weekend when he acquired nine of the ten votes cast during an “election process” for the best candidate to be supported against the incumbent.

This decision, however, has been met with serious resistance from both citizens of the district and candidates who are vying to flex their political muscles against the incumbent come October 10.

Koung believes that the elders did not show transparency in the process or exhibit a “true” elderly role. Commenting on the decision, he pointed out that as sons of Bein Clan – as the elders acknowledge – all parties should have been invited to participate in a truly transparent process.

“You claim that we all are sons of Bein and that one of your sons have served. You needed to have invited all [three of us],” Koung said. “At that meeting, you will call me as your son and say, you have been there for six years now, we want you to step aside so another son can go there. This would have been a fair process.”

Days after the endorsement ceremony, Amos N. G. Suah, one of the aspirants of the district, told reporters at an official opening ceremony of his campaign office in Ganta that he was not aware of the elders’ decision and requested his supporters to remain firm.

“I am not backing out from this race,” he added. “I can assure you that come January 2018, I will be at the House of Parliament. I am not aware of any decision that has been taken by elders of Bein. We will remain strong, and come October, we become victorious.”

Koung was taken aback by the fact that Suah revealed receiving a communication from Sua after the ceremony, informing Suah that the elders had endorsed him, Sua, to be the lone candidate against the incumbent.

“When I listened to my senior brother Amos Suah this morning, I think it was not fair to him,” Koung added. “I think that was disrespectful to the big brother and if I was not in the election, I would support Hon. Suah.”

Citizens across all nine of Nimba’s electoral districts are pushing for a lone candidate to face the incumbent in the upcoming elections.

In district two, the people of Garr Clan elected Nyan G. Flomo as the candidate to contest against the sitting representative Prince O. S. Tokpah, via a signed resolution by all the aspirants on Jan. 28.

Featured photo by Arrington Ballah