200 Aspirants Eye 15 Senate’s Seats

Liberia, the onetimee beacon of hope on the African continent is at a critical junction in its national history. A fourteen- year bloody upheaval has ended and the nation is currently experimenting democracy at all levels across the country.

In less than seven months’ time, we will be at the polls to elect 15 new Senators who are expected to institute good laws in the interest of the masses and those greedy individuals who only care for the pockets.

Our country needs good leaders and sound policymakers who have genuine love for the masses and concern for peace, stability, and national development. There is no doubt that the October 11, 2014 senatorial midterm election is to decide whether or not to entrust the leadership of this nation to a new group of political elites or the old guards.

This decisive and cardinal decision rests in our hands and let nothing cause us to make a bad choice. This is another opportunity to decide whether we want a senator that subscribes to good governance, human rights, rule of law, social justice and sound economic policies and who would unite and build a strong and prosperous nation bordered on the country of law and not of one-track-minded men; a country free to and for all wherein all of us can be participants of the wealth and enjoy the luxury of peace, joy and happiness.

Unlike previous legislative election, this year’s October Mid-term Senatorial race for 15 seats in the senate appears to be overcrowded with about 300 aspirants eyeing each of the senatorial seats for the 15 counties.

The number is expected to increase before the poll take place in October. According to an inclusive survey conducted over the last two weeks by The NEW VISION across the country, the number of aspirants is likely to double, as more persons are contemplating entering the much publicized duel scheduled for October 15, 2014.

Amongst those vying for the senatorial seats include CDC’s George Weah, George Solo and Nathaniel McGill, they are contesting for seats in Montserrado, Gbarpolu and Grand Gedeh County, while UP’s Verney Sherman, Rosalind Tonneh Sneh, Morris Saytumah and Theodore Momo are all vying for seats in Grand Cape Mount,Grand Kru, Bomi and Gbarpolu. Others eyeing the senatorial seats Alaric Tokpa, Robert Sirleaf, Daniel Naathan, Frances Johnson-Morris Allison, Rita Neh Dukuly Tolbert, Foday Kromah, Matthew Darblo, John Molu, Francis Kaba,Steve Zargo, Archive Williams, Bhofal Chambers, James Anderson, Albert Chie, Amos Bartu, Samuel K. Doe, Jr, Boye Charles, franklin Sackor, Rinnie Jackson, Nathaniel Williams, Patrick Weah, Obutee Sarlay and Milton Teahjay.Other aspirants include Samuel Wilson, Jacob Smith, Gevon Smith, Joseph Jallah, Galakpai Kortiman,Stanley Kparkillen, Alhaji G.V. Kromah, Fonati Kofa, Israel Akinsanya, Ali Syla and Henry Wilson, amongst dozens of aspirants. Those seeking re-election include Prince Johnson of Nimba, Musu Freeman Sumo of Montserrado, Jewel Howard Tayor of Bong, John Ballout of Maryland, Isaac Nyenabo of Grand Gedeh, Mobotu Nyenpan of Sinoe, Sumo Kupee of Lofa, Jonathan Barney of Rivercess County, Theodore Momo of Gbarpolu County, Gehzonhnzor Findley of Grand Bassa, Abel Massaley of Grand Cape Mount, Lahai Lassanna of Bomi County and Clarice Alpha Jah of Margibi County. There is an unconfirmed report that two senators-Cllr. Fredrick Cherue and Cletus Wotorson will not be seeking re-election in October. It has also been gathered that 14 of the 15 current senators whose tenures expired this year’s October have declared their intention for a re-election.

However, they faced a daunting task of being re-elected, as some of the aspirants are said to be holding the Advantage in their respective counties. Those who are seeking re-election are senators who received the highest number of percentage of votes over the others during the first post-war democratic elections, thus declaring them as senior senators for each of the 15 counties. Since the 2005 elections, they have been occupying the senatorial seats for nine unbroken years. However, it is not known if all those seeking re-election will be successful in their drive to return to the Capitol in January 2015, as most of them, if not all, face a daunting uphill battle to convene their constituency to re-elect them in October for additional nine years of 18 years as a senator. Speaking to this paper, some of the political pundits and civil society advocates spoken with alleged that some of the senatorial aspirants contesting for just 15 seats in the Senate of the National Legislature are greedy and hustlers most of whom have turned humanitarians overnight to just fool the public to obtain their precious vote. The pundits argued that 200 more aspirants is a ground to confuse the people on October 11. It is comical and implausible just looking at how many persons want to improve the living standard of Liberians, a feat they believe they can achieve only if they are elected senator.

Another expert propounded that although democracy is about carving out and guaranteeing a system of social equality via freedom of choice, the situation at bar makes it imprudent for anyone to think the Liberian Legislature is a practice ground or a classroom. He warned that that the Liberian Senate is a play, play thing; it is very challenging and has difficult tasks ahead. To administer the affairs of this nation with a population so sectionalized and traumatized from 14 years of pains, hate and brutalities aren’t no chicken play!