Monrovia — Ahead of the 2023 general and presidential elections, Grand Bassa County District # 4 Representative Vincent Willie has predicted that the Political Leader of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) George Manneh Weah will not win Lofa County due to the manner and form in which his appointed officials are poorly relating to their kinsmen back home.
Some time ago, Representative Willie established a movement to ensure the re-election of President Weah come 2023.
He observed that nearly 40 officials holding key positions in the current administration are from Lofa, but the ruling party continues to struggle to accumulate a good percentage of votes in the region.
He made these comments when he appeared at guest on the OK Morning Rush on OK FM 99.5 in Monrovia on Wednesday, June 29.
Representative Willie maintained that despite holding ministerial and other key positions in government, these public officials from Lofa have failed to go back home and relate to their people.
"Lofa has a message. The message is that about 30 to 40 persons who are senior government officials and heads of agencies-are they connected or doing something back home to adjust the votes for President Weah in 2023? I will tell you no. if they are doing it today, I will tell them to speed up".
He observed that it would be devastating for the governing party if its officials fail to move at a higher velocity in giving back to their people back home.
"That is while when people give you government jobs, you must go back home to work every time, interact with your people and influence the votes. President Weah is aware that he will not win in Lofa, but we must adjust the votes there".
Representative Willie observed that though politics in Liberia is regional and sectional, the CDC can only narrow the wide margins suffered from the Unity Party (UP) in 2023, if sons and daughters from Lofa return home to identify and do things for their people.
He recalled that during the administration of former Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, similar strategies were implore to narrow the votes between the Liberty Party (LP) and the UP in Grand Bassa County in 2011.
He said though the margin won in the county in 2005 was astronomic, Madam Sirleaf managed to narrow down the votes in 2011 by carried out developmental initiatives in the county, while her officials hailing from Bassa were also extending helping hands and relating to the citizens.
Representative Willie added that any election in Bassa will also be tensed for the governing party because, Bassonians cannot point to one of their sons or daughters holding key position in the Weah led-government.
He said citizens continue to express concerns over why the President has not appointed a son or daughter from Grand Bassa to key ministerial or other positions since the departure of Gbezongar Findley from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He added that though the current Minister of Youth and Sports Zoegar Wilson is Bassa by tribe, he (Willie) does not know whether Minister Wilson hails from the county.
"I am not sure that Zoegar is from Bassa; but I know he's a Bassa man. I am so passionate about President Weah's re-election and I am willing to give him names from Bassa".
Don't perpetual in power
Speaking further, Representative Willie cautioned against leaders perpetuating into power and depriving others the opportunity to serve their people.
He said leaders, especially those serving at the National Legislature should learn to "build other people" in an effort to adequately prepare them to take over leadership in the future.
He emphasized that no professional person will want to prolong in power, by denying others the opportunity to serve.
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"I don't want to be tied in a representative job to sit in one place as a professional person and say I want to die in power. I will not be one of those persons thinking about contesting the fourth or fifth term. Why should I be thinking about perpetuating myself in power all through? What about the other comrades? At a certain age, I want to go and sit with my kids and enjoy myself".
Hard-headed politicians
Speaking further, Representative Willie observed that citizens are tired of some politicians, but those politicians continue to play a blind eye to the reality.
"If the citizens do not want you (politician) anymore, you will feel it in yourself. There are just some people who are hard-headed. Any politician-if you are not the favorite of the people, you will feel it".
He observed that as a result of greed for power, some of these politicians ignore the feelings of their respective constituents by re-contesting during the electioneering period.
