Liberia: 'Allow Supt. Janjay Baikpeh to Contest' - District #2 Residents Plead With Pres Weah

Buchanan — Residents in Grand Bassa electoral district # 2 are pleading with President George Manneh Weah to reconsider his decision of stopping Superintendent Janjay Baikpeh from contesting the upcoming elections.

Supporters of the Supt. Baikpeh's representative bid came out of their towns and villages on Sunday, April 9, chanting, "No Janjay, No Voting" after he had gone to one of the voters registration centers in the district to obtain his voting card.

Several of them including the Statutory Superintendent, Youth leader in a passionate plead expressed that Supt. Janjay Baikpeh is their only hope. They stated that Representative Mary M. Karwor has served for nearly 12-years but her efforts have not been enough to transform the district.

Madam Nancy Greene, Glarkon Statutory Superintendent, who has been a staunch supporter of Rep. Karwor, told journalists that she's not willing to let go the superintendent for anyone else.

"Madam Mary Karwor served almost 12 years now but only Janjay Baikpeh has been helping to send our children to free school, building markets, provide loan for women, creating avenue for motorcyclists and many more developments that have caught our attention to vote him in the coming elections," Madam Greene said.

She furthered, "The President's name is known in district #2 only because of Supt. Baikpeh and so if the President stops the supt, it means he's depriving the people of district #2 their right to democracy."

As for Christian Philips, Youth Chairman of the district, he wants both the incumbent, Madam Karwor and the Superintendent be allowed to stand in the race to know who has the number.

He stressed, "I am asking the President to stop spoiling his own votes in district #2 because it is because of Janjay Baikpeh that the CDC now has a strong base in district #2."

"It will be totally unacceptable for the people of district #2 after working with Janjay Baikpeh for years and trusting his leadership only for all our efforts to go down without yielding the positive result we are awaiting."

Philips mentioned that President Weah needs not to force Rep. Karwor on them, stressing that they supported her twice; she served and time is up.

"Rep. Mary Karwor said she wasn't contesting, so she asked us her supporters to support Janjay Baikpeh but in the dying minutes, she bounced back saying she wants to contest, which we won't support."

Thomas Toe, another resident of the district in an awful tune said, "The President made me to cry because Janjay Baikpeh has lifted the name of the President here too high to the extend that some of us have joined the CDC. If he does that to us, for me I will tell all my supporters not to vote anyone in the district including President."

The citizens made the calls upon hearing that President Weah has allegedly asked Superintendent Baikpeh to backoff from the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections.

The news has sparked major concerns among people from diverse political backgrounds, as to why the President stops his staunch supporter who appears to be a winnable aspirant from contesting.

However, it remains unclear as to whether Grand Bassa Superintendent will contest or not but his supporters have continuously mentioned that President Weah needs to reconsider his decision or else, many of them will not vote for him.

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