Why Lofa Senate Race Remains a Two-Horse Affair -As UP’s Kortimai, CDC-Supported Jallah Top the Bill

MONROVIA – Lofaians will be queuing today to elect their choice for the senatorial seat left vacant after former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai who won the Lofa County by-election in 2020 was disqualified by the Supreme Court over misappropriation of army pension funds. According to the National Elections Commission (NEC), a total of 187, 775 registered Liberian voters from across Lofa County will be voting today. Of this number, 96,829 female voters and 90,946 male voters will be deciding the fate of the entire Lofa County for the man or woman that will represent them in the Liberian senate for the next nine years. In fulfilment of its social contract with the Liberian people, both at home and in the Diaspora, The Analyst zooms its lens on two of the six contestants who have stepped to the plate to contest the senate seat in Lofa. Our prognosis tells why the cards are heavily tipped in favor of either Unity Party’s Galakpai Kortimai or the CDC-supported candidate Cllr. Joseph Jallah becoming the next Senator of Lofa County.

Today’s election in Lofa will see Galakpai Kortimai of the Unity Party contesting against independent candidate Momo Cyrus and Cllr. Joseph Jallah, who many believe is closely aligned with the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change. Madam Mariamu Fofana, Mr.  George Samah and Sumo Kupee are also in the race. However, our independent investigation has uncovered that the people of Lofa County will be choosing mainly between Galakpai Kortimai of the Unity Party and Cllr. Joseph Jallah who is reportedly heavily supported by the ruling CDC.

According to a highly impeccable source from Lofa County, although Lofaians will be going to the polls today to vote among six candidates for their next senator, only two names are hot on the lips of the voting population. “It is either Galakpai Kortima from Upper Lofa or Joseph Jallah from Lower Lofa that will come victorious today,” our source informed.

The Galakapia Kortima/Brownie Samukai Angry Vote Factor

Galakpai Kortimai is the Unity Party candidate who will be going against his main opponent Jallah in today’s election.  Pundits opine that many Lofaians might vote for the former Lofa County Superintendent because they believe that Samukai not taking his seat was as a result of the Government of Liberia willfully deciding to deprive the people of Lofa County that particular seat.

     “The electorates are saying that they went to the polls and voted Samukai but the government deliberately and willfully decided to deprive them of that seat. So, because of that, there are people who believe that because Brownie Samukai is marketing Kortimai, they are going to just vote Kortimai. This segment of the voters will be voting on the basis on anger and not on competence,” our Lofa County source stated.

The Galakpai Kortimai JNB/Unity Party Factor

Again, according to our unbiased analysis, many Lofaians might support Kortimai because next year, Liberians will be going to the presidential and legislative polls that will presumably be between the Unity Party of Joseph Nyuma Boakai and President George Weah’s CDC.

“Based on that, to prove political supremacy, one of these parties will have to do all they can in this election to convince Liberians that they have a stranglehold on Lofa County. As we all know, it has not been an easy ride for the CDC in Lofa County which is presumed to the official home and stronghold of the Unity Party. Because of the Unity Party factor, Lofa County has now become a top priority for the CDC government’s second term bid, because the 14 counties are sitting and watching. If the Unity Party cannot win this particular election, it means there will be problem for 2023. If their candidates win, the CDC will boastfully say that the county which the Unity Party once claimed to be their stronghold is no longer under their control. For this reason alone, there are many Lofaians, who because they want to change the status quo, will ensure that Kortimai wins Lofa,” our analyst opined.

The Joseph Jallah Sympathy Vote

This is the fourth time Cllr. Joseph Jallah will be contesting a legislative post in Lofa County (2011, 2014, 2020 and now 2022). According to our investigations, there are many Lofaians who will vote for Jallah based on sympathy, knowing that he lost three elections, but always came second place. 

The Joseph Jallah CDC Factor

Accordingly, the CDC factor is also very key in a Jallah presumed victory, givien the fact that the ruling party has amassed its chief lieutenants in Lofa with Representative Thomas Fallah leading the charge for a Joseph Jallah victory.

It is also being insinuated and presumed in some quarters that the CDC team is dishing out money in some areas where they are doing “play for pay”.

“They are reportedly offering $20, $30 and $50 to people, taking their voter’s card in the name of giving the cards back on voting day. This is said to serve as a major factor to reduce the Upper Lofa vote for some candidates, especially Galakpai Kortimai who comes from Upper Lofa. There are some people who are saying that, if the vote is reduced from Upper Lofa, then it will be a good chance for Jallah because the Lower Lofa side, especially the Gbandi people, are good for voting in huge numbers,” a source stated.

Other analysts are saying that the CDC will do everything for Jallah even though he is not a CDC candidate but he is a CDC-supported candidate in the Lofa election.

Conclusively, the Lofa election is now between Galakpai Kortimai and Cllr. Joseph Jallah, in a two-horse race that could produce either of the two candidates as winner of the 2022 Lofa County senatorial by-election.