In December this year, instead of October as enshrined in the Constitution, Liberia goes to the polls to elect a batch of senators who have eclipsed their nine year tenures. This period is often, on the one hand, a litmus test for the governing party to prove its legitimacy for work done in three years, and on the other, to showcase the political potency and relevance of the opposition bloc. It seems the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change is not taking this period lightly, particularly reading from the waterloo suffered in a senatorial bi-election nearly a year ago. Months ahead, the party has put into place a machinery that would lead the selection of candidates that would fulfil its quest to take over the Senate Wing of the National Legislature. The Analyst reports.
In his usual charismatic style, the National Chairman of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) held a press conference in Monrovia yesterday and announced a corps of officers at national and regional levels charged with the responsibility to conduct primaries that would produce candidates for the December 2020 midterm senatorial elections.
Following a rendition of militant inspiration, Chairman Mulbah Morlu announced that following consultation with the Governing Council of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), the Executive Committee had drawn up various committees that would hold democratic primaries for the selection of candidates ahead of the upcoming Senatorial elections in December.
He said in a statement that the scheduled activity is pursuant to a unanimous resolution of the Governing Council of the Coalition for Democratic Change, which requires conduct of primaries as the most viable platform for the nomination of candidates to participate in December elections.
“Consistently, a primaries Organizing Committee has been constituted naming partisan Jefferson T. Koijee as Chairman, P. Alexander Saydee Co. Chairman, Partisan Eric Kpayea Secretary etc,” Morlu said, adding that the the entire process, which starts from the 15 to 30 of July 2020, will include all 15 counties, decentralized and grouped into six (6) Regions.
Region 1, constituting Montserrado and Margibi Counties, conducts primaries in Montserrado from 15 to 21 of July 2020, under the Committee Chairmanship of partisan Roland K. Mendscole, while Region 2 groping River Gee and Maryland Counties is schedule to elect candidates in Harper from the 22 to the 23 July 2020, and is chaired by partisan Andrew Peters.
Similarly, Region 3, which includes Grand Gedeh, Nimba and Lofa Counties holds primaries in Zwedru City from 27 to 28 2020, Chaired by partisan Moses Kollie; as Region 4 Grand Bassa, River Cess and Bong Counties conduct primaries in Buchanan from 18 to 21 July, 2020 under the Chairmanship of partisan Bill Twehway.
Lastly Region 5, Grand Kru and Sinoe Counties goes to the polls in BarclayVille between 28 to 29 July, 2020 Chaired by Partisan C. Mike Doyen and Region 6, Gbarpolu, Bomi and Grand Cape Mount Counties will holds its primaries in Tubmanburg from 18 to 20 July, 2020 presided by partisan Adama Robinson
The attached document details additional information pertinent to the scheduled primaries, including the full composition or member of all committees named to assist with the conduct of a successful democratic process.
At the same the party has put in place measures to ensure the safety of delegates and other participants during primaries, and has made it a standard procedure for all to wear face masks while going about their assigned duties and responsibilities.
Meanwhile, as the party enters this crucial and important phase, we encourage all partisans to continue to remain peaceful, law abiding and tolerance at all levels, ensuring that the collective interests of our people-the interest of the party-remains supreme.