Liberia: Bomi Citizens Reject Sen. Saytumah

23 August 2023
The New Dawn (Monrovia)
By Emmanuel Wise Jipoh

-Despite Weah's plea

Liberians in Bomi County have rejected President George Mannah Weah's plea for them to vote for incumbent Senator Morris Saytumah in the pending presidential and legislative elections.

Senator Saytumah, a former member of the opposition Unity Party (UP), is supporting President Weah's reflection bid.

He paraded with President Weah and his entourage in at a political rally in Bomi County as part of a campaign tour.

Sen. Saytumah is seeking re-election, but he faces huge tasks against a former Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) stalwart, Mr. Alex Tyler, Liberia's former House Speaker.

Tyler and his Liberian People Democratic Party (LPDP) supported Weah's 2017 presidential bid and formed part of the ruling establishment, but he recently broke political alliances with the regime.

Doing the rally in Bomi, President Weah passionately appealed to citizens to vote for Sen. Saytumah and CDC candidates to calibrate the development of the country because he wants to leave a legacy.

President Weah noted that since no CDC candidate is contesting in Bomi, he has asked voters in the county to vote for his father, Sen. Saytumah.

According to Weah, Saytumah supported him when he was serving in the Liberian Senate for Montserrado.

But his plea was overwhelmingly rejected by the citizens. They booed Sen. Saytumah, preventing him from remarking on the occasion.

However, in a defiant posture, the electorate continued their booing of the incumbent senator with some maintaining that their gathering was only to show support for President Weah.

Hundreds of potential voters chanted and booed Mr. Saytumah as he took to the podium to make a brief remark.

He was denied, despite President Weah and Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe's passionate plea with them.

"Boo, boo, boo, boo. No, no, we don't need Saytumah! Go!" the residents changed.

The incumbent lawmaker has spent nine years in the Senate. He is seeking re-election with critics saying he has failed to impact the lives of the citizens.

For his part Sen. Saytumah, openly pleaded with the citizens, promising he will work hard in their interest if re-elected.

He urged them to remain calm and exercise their constitutional rights at the ballot box.

Saytumah noted: "These things happen in politics, I'm not surprised that you would reject me."

"This... gives the courage to do more, if I want to become a senator and run for any other position, but I openly apologize. Thank you ya," he said.

Read the original article on New Dawn.

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