Massive Endorsements; And Final Blessings? -Telia Campaign Sets District #15 Ablaze; -Says Election is not desperation or Fighting

By: Rancy S. Teewia

One of the candidates in the by-elections, Ms. Telia Urey received massive endorsements at the climax of her political campaign for the vacant seat of Montserrado County District #15 yesterday,  Monday; says “Election is not about desperation, fighting or throwing stones  – but is about telling people what one is capable of doing for them when preferred.”

Telia made the remarks at a grand colorful program in the District, a program jammed with songs, political speeches, battle cries and merriments.

Amongst others that endorsed the opposition candidate were contestants who have already lost the the District #15 by-election to her and her main contender Abu Kamara of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). They include Mr. Kelvin Bayor and Mr. Amos Tubor.

The opposition candidate was endorsed by legislators and supporters of the Collaboration Political Parties (CPP), including for Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, the wife of the late Representative Adolph A. Lawrence whose demise left the seat vacant; Senator Abraham Darius Dillon of the CPP, Sando Johnson of the CDC and Mr. Alexander Cummings of the ANC amongst others.

Speaking at the climax of the political rally, t newly elected Senator Darius Dillon and the Collaborating Parties reaffirmed their collaboration in supporting Telia as manifested by the massive presences of supporters and members of the CPP.

The Campaign rally at which the massive support was received started with the throngs of supporters marching through the principal streets of Logan Town where six precincts comprising 20 polling places are being quarantined by the electoral governing body – the NEC which are being contested by the candidates of the opposition and the ruling tripartite coalition.

The opposition candidate’s parade of the principal streets in the contentious area carried with it a live band, and featured display of political enthusiasms characterized by dancing and chanting of slogans as 50 well-armed officers of the Liberia National Police were deployed to deter a further occurrence of election violence.

Remarking at the formal program that followed the march, Grand Bassa County Nyonblee Lawrence, a stalwart of the opposition Liberty, said those who threw stones at the opposition candidate and her supporters during the recent violent incidences were doing so as a display of their joy for the demise of her, saying that they were the same people that were rejoicing when her husband, the late lawmaker Adolph Lawrence, died of motor accident.

Nyonblee said they were throwing stones at Telia Urey because of their irresponsible attitudes they always exhibite, noting that she, Nyonblee, wrote a communication to the plenary as a means of curtailing the lawlessness they have chosen to perpetrate. “I thought to myself that if I don’t do something in this District, our people will die;” she asserted, stressing, that this thought   prompted her to write to the Senate Plenary regarding electoral violence in the district.

Sen. Lawrence therefore urged the citizen of Logan Town to vote Telia Urey because she is the perfect replacement of her husband at the House of Representatives, and therefore lifted the hand of Telia Urey before the crowd with an applause.

Also speaking was the newly elected Senator of Montserrado County, Abraham Darius Dillon, who told electorates of District #15 to vote Telia, because it would be inconceivable to vote him (Dillon) to the Senate and leave Telia Urey out in the race.

Dillon indicated, “Today the District is peaceful because of the men and women that are representing you at the Legislature; Sen. Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, Sen. Sando Johnson, Sen. Oscar Cooper, Senator Conmany Wesseh and I, Sen. Darius Dillon have made it possible.”

Calling on the people of Logan Town to vote Telia Urey so as to increase the number of people’s advocates in the parliament, Sen. Dillon said the Legislature must have independent minded people who are not cabinet ministers of President Weah. He said President Weah wants the legislators to be in his pocket, a reason for which “…he wants you to vote Abu Kellee (meaning a thief) to go into the House.”

Dillon continued that Abu Kamara of the CDC was removed from one office to another office and yet chose to fraudulently receive salaries from Government for the two offices, which Dillon considered an act of thievery, although Abu himself reportedly admitted to the scandal and promised that he will restitute the money.

Dillon therefore advised electorates of the contentious areas in the District not to vote such a man that will be pocketing money that should be intended for district development, for his personal enrichment.

On Mr. Abu Kamara’s launch of a 20 million dollars micro finance for people of the district, Dillon wondered how such a man can like Abu claim that he has launched a $20 million loan scheme, adding, “It is a mockery.”

For his part, Sen. Sando Johnson of Bomi County said even though he is a member of the ruling Coalition of Democratic Change, he will support Telia, adding that if anyone votes Telia, that person would have elevated District #15 because she is not a hardened  criminal in the district like the other candidate.