By Sallu K.Swaray
Preliminary results from Montserrado County Electoral District #15 have featured the candidate of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Mr. Abu Kamara, in the lead as his main contender, Telia Urey, has already conceded defeat.
The District #15 election rerun of the by election intended to fill the seat of the late Representative Adolph Lawrence in the House Representatives ended rather peacefully with the man in the lead Abu Kamara playing hosts to leading members of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) who converged at his residence last evening in a exhilarated merriment welcoming the preliminary results that feature their candidate, Mr. Kamara, in the lead.
It was recorded that the Kamara is far ahead of Telia Urey in the ballot counts of the rerun, which for instance accounted for results at Samuel T. Kun School Precinct where Abu Kamara won 594 with Telia gaining 153; Precinct # 2 where Abu snatched 551 whereas Telia won 174 and at Maria Sampson Precinct Abu won 642 and Telia 264. At another Precinct Abu 616 and Telia 250; at Joana Antoe Precinct Abu Kamara got 362 and Telia Urey 203; while at the Kingdom Embassy Abu Precinct, Kamara got 497 votes with Telia Urey 244.
The opposition has already started to react to the results, conceding the defeat of Telia by the ruling party candidate. Accordingly, Opposition Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, who and Telia entered the race with the backing of the Collaborating Political Parties for the Senate and the House of Representative respectively said, “Democracy is at work; the people of District 15 have finally spoken.” Dillon indicated further, “We respect their decision. We congratulate the eventual winner, Representative-elect Abu B. Kamara of CDC. We wish him success in service to his people and country.”
For Candidate Telia Urey, she was sober in her statement on her Facebook page. “Against so many odds and evil, we fought fiercely! Not for personal gains, but for a better district and a better Liberia. We may have lost this election, but we have won the confidence and trust of our people. Our fight will continue for the rest of our lives,” she said.
Telia indicated to her supporters, “We can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve put into this process. Our struggle for your lives to get better has just begun! You can always count on me to be there! I pray that the end of this election brings peace to the District! D-15, I love you!”
Also reacting to the preliminary results was Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, the wife deceased Representative Adolph Lawrence whose demise created the vacancy. Mrs. Lawrence said, “Telia Urey, under a very unsaved atmosphere, with threats, hash words, fights, wounds and destruction of properties, you had the Audacity to continue, has no clue what she had done,
“I love you! Admire you! Believe in you! And appreciate your love and respect. You made a huge political mark and we will hold you high and continue to push you,” she further conceded the opposition’s defeat. Senator Lawrence said the future is bright for Telia, and pointed that the opposition candidate will be a huge contributor to the change the country wants to see.
“District #15, Telia and I remain your servants, and we will continue to impact your lives. Bab, the Legacy lives on. You are a winner and we are proud of you,” she concluded
For Candidate Abu Kamara, he commended the people of District #15 who stood by him, saying that the task ahead of him now is to unite the people, while the Chairman of the ruling CDC, Mulbah Morlu said, “Never again will the voters’ apathy that has made the Coalition to lose in the Montserrado County Senatorial by-election repeat itself.” Morlu told his partisans that converged at Abu’s residence last evening that the overwhelming “victory” of Mr. Kamara indeed sends a signal to the opposition and the people of Liberia that 2020 and 2023 hold better prospect for the ruling party, which he pointed out, is transforming the country.
CDC Chairman Morlu announced a planned celebration of the victory of the Abu by Saturday when the official results would have been announced by the National Elections Commission, as the euphoria of Abu Kamara’s victory seized the pages of supporters and executives of the ruling CDC on the social media. A video footage that has gone viral with critical comments from supporters and members of the collaborating opposition parties was seen with tantalizing comments directed to the opposition.
The mass turn out of voters in the Montserrado County Disdtrict # 15 makes the polling went on smoothly without the usual incidents of stone throwing and other act of violence between the Abu Kamara’s supporters and followers the Telia Urey.
The atmosphere in the Wednesday August 28, 2019 polling at the Montserrado County District # 15 rerun was calm and impressive presumably because of the huge presence of armed security personnel that comprised the Liberia National Police (LNP), the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LNP), the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) amongst others, who were all in high gear, patrolling and monitoring situation as the elections was taking place in the six precincts with 20 polling places.
Local journalists from various media outlets were also seen monitoring the voting process along with other local observers including, the Liberia Council of Council of Churches (LCC), NAYMOTE and some International observers, including the NDI and Carter Center.
So far, the turn out of the rerun polls was goods and impressive; people were seen in massive turn to vote amidst the huge presence of security which provided maximum precautionary measures deterring and recurrence of violence.
The National Elections Commission (NEC) on July 29, 2019 the National Elections Commission (NEC) announced the Senatorial and Montserrado County District #15 By-elections during which Ms. Urey of the Opposition Collaborating Parties protested and complained the NEC of encouraging elections fraud,
The matter was heard and a rerun was announced by challenged, but the Board of commissioners of the NEC confirmed and affirmed the ruling of the hearing officer thereby announcing a new date for election of the quarantined areas of six polling precincts with 20 polling places.
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