MONROVIA: True to the predictions by some political pundits that the politics that will define Nimba County in the October 10, 2023 general elections will center around the young people seeking an alternative and independent platform to express themselves, in this case Roland Duo as Senator on the one hand and the conservatives who, and incumbent Prince Y. Johnson, think the status quo should be maintained.
Mr. Duo, a prominent citizen of the county, thinks “at this stage in our lives, we do not need a Godfather who will railroad the lives of the people for his selfish interest but a Godson who will truly serve his people without fear or favor.
Speaking at the political rally in Ganta City, Nimba County to support the reelection bid of President George Manneh Weah, Mr. Duo though did not make any direct mention of Senator Prince Yormie Johnson but his jabs targeted the longest serving senator whom he accused of giving immense power and influence to himself thus depriving the people of Nimba of the right to development.
Duo is contesting the senatorial race against Senator Johnson in the October 10 polls. He said the self-styled “Godfather” status being given has eroded the chances of the county to make meaningful progress.
He asserted that in his quest for the senatorial seat, he has told the people of Nimba that the county does not need a “Godfather” but a “Godson” who will serve the people and give them the opportunity to meet any government official, especially the President for the benefit of the people.
He said the sudden emergence of a single person on the scene and referring to himself to be the “Godfather” of the county was a deviation from how the issues of Nimba was discussed and presented in the past.
According to him, respected leaders of the county, including elders such as Old man Gblorzuo Toweh, Dorwin, Dorliae etc did not subjugate the county to the whims of a single person, and urged Nimbaians to rise up against such culture of allowing a single person to be the “Godfather” for the whole county to benefit only himself.
“Mr. President, when you listened to the young man speaking and referring to me as the next ‘Godson’ of Nimba County, it is because I said to the people of Nimba in debates that I do not want to be a ‘Godfather’ of Nimba but a Godson’ of the county.
“You know what the ‘Godfather’ has been doing to us? Before, when we were coming up, Mr. President, when the Nimba leaders were going to meet any president, you would see leaders like Gblorzuo Toweh, Pa Dorwin, Dorliae, etc, and a lot of Nimba leaders doing so together. It was not one person standing in the midst of others and saying, ‘I am the Godfather, Mr. President. Just talk to me. What you have for the people, let me put it in my pocket and I will talk to the people of Nimba. This is why we don’t want a Godfather but a Godson.”
Making his case for the senatorial seat which has been occupied by Senator Johnson since 2006, Mr. Duo, a candidate on the ticket of the CDC, said he will work with all stakeholders of the county to foster unity and development in the county, which according to him will be a radical departure from where it is right now.
The CDC candidate told President Weah that his life story provides inspiration to a lot of young people who want to be like him that came from nowhere in Gibraltar to ascend to the highest office in the land
“Nimba county is a community where our mothers are selling bitter buds, okras, plantains to send their children to school. They want to see someone from Gibraltar that has become president in this country. They want to take that as an example, that indeed their mothers are selling bitter balls to send them to school; they want to be like President Weah; they want to sit with him, they want to be encouraged by him. Mr. President.”
Citing further justification for President Weah’s reelection, Mr. Duo indicated that the people are resolved to ensure he wins the October 10, 2023 general elections based on the “tangibles that are visible for everyone to see” and that those from the county who are opposing the bid have nothing substantial to dissuade the people.
“Mr. President, Nimbaians are not ungrateful people. There is no way you will see what is happening in Nimba County when it comes to development and you will want to change the captain in the middle of the sea. It is not possible Mr. President,” he said.
“What we can say to you is for you to continue our roads; we want for you to continue our schools; we want for you to continue the development you have started,” he said.
Duo, who has been leading the charge for the ruling CDC in the county since the onset of the campaign, said the fact remains that the people who “are opposing you don’t have anything tangible to present to the table,” as adding that they do not have debate other than intending to distract the people from seeing development flourishing in the county.
He continued: “The people who are opposing you have nothing practical to say. You are bringing roads to our home. Why are they not happy? Why should we oppose that? I listened when you sent buses to schools. Do you know what it is for a public school in Nimba to own a bus? Mr. President, the same people who said that those buses were not important when the county league was staged, it was the same buses that were transporting people to Ganta for this league. Is that a debate?”
The CDC Senatorial candidate said the people of Nimba are making a decision to put the county on the right trajectory starting from freeing them from the “Godfather” status of some people who want to continue keeping the people down and then on the second hand placing the decision making process in the hands of stakeholders in the county.
“We are not making any mistake with our decision and we are going to ensure that on October 10, 2023, our people will come out to vote for you massively Mr. President,” Mr. Duo said.
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