21 Aspirants for Gedeh Bye Election -To replace Late Erol Madison Gwion

MONROVIA: Ahead of the April 23, 2024 date set for the holding of the bye election to fill the vacancy in the house of representative for District #1, Grand Gedeh County as the result of the untimely death of the late Representative Erol Madison Gwion Sr, not less than 21 persons have indicated their interest to contest the seat.

Though the list seems to be increasing in number on a weekly basis since the first list of 21 was made public based on announcements and or endorsements by aspirants and their supporters, there are also indications that some of the aspirants will not be candidates when the final list is published by the National Elections Commission (NEC).

There are reports of horse trading going on among and between those who have expressed their intent to contest as well as stakeholders who have been calling for the number to be reduced so that “we will have serious people coming forward and we will have the ample opportunities to assess each aspirant or candidate one by one”

It was reported over the weekend that a quasi-primary was held among the members of the core group of supporters of the late lawmaker so as to elect or select a consensus candidate from among themselves that will face the others but it reportedly ended with a deadlock and each and everyone of the aspirants will now strive to be on the ballot.

Among those who are in the race from the camp of the former lawmaker are his widow, Madam Amelia Beh-Gwion, his son, Gabriel P. Johnson Gwion, former Chief of Office Staff Justice Clarke, and his home affairs coordinator, Sampson Bosoe William.

Other prominent persons in the race according to reports from the various camps are Messrs Jeremiah Garwo Sokan who has contested twice unsuccessfully, Nyounkpao Funnebo, Atty Nathaniel Gbaba, Roosevelt Johnson Jr, Cyrus Cooper, Ophelia Wlachen Boley, Ansu Dukuly, Jestino Gaye, Moniayoung Gwion, etc.

There are already intrigues in the process and while there has been a call among the Tchien People, the division the late Gwion comes from to unite behind a single candidate so as to brighten the seat to be retained in their quarters, other groups are making desperate moves to outsmart any of their opponents. As it stands according to pundits if the division among them continues up to the election, there may be no chance of them retaining the seat.

Interestingly because the late Gwion promoted and pursued a welfarist policy where the citizens were at the center of his decision making and act of sharing with them, almost all of them have been selling the idea that they are inclined to his philosophy and therefore if elected they will continue with his legacy.

Representative Gwion who was first elected in 2021 through a bye election after then Representative Zoe Emmanuel Pennue was elected into the Senate died late last year and was recently buried in Zwedru amidst tears, sobbing , outright cries and agony, etc.

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