By Patrick Stephen Tokpah

Gbarngba, Bong County – President George Manneh Weah has vowed to retain Liberia’s presidency after the 2023 general and presidential elections, throwing political jabs at his critics and opposition figures in the Country.

Liberians are expected to go to the polls in 2023 General and Presidential Elections to elect leaders they think can represent them.

Speaking in Gbarnga, Bong County recently when Students and Traditional Leaders petitioned him to contest in 2023 elections, President Weah  intimated that contrary to the predictions of some  opposition figures that he will be a one-term president in the history of Liberia, he said he will win the presidential elections come 2023.

The Coalition for Democratic Change Standard bearer described those opposition leaders who are calling for his  one-term presidency as ineptitude, noting that they don’t have a vision for the Country’s development.

“Those that are calling for my one-time presidency, what are they doing for your citizens in the Country. Your should not mind them, because they have nothing to show in turn of development. What are they doing in other to improve the living conditions of the ordinary citizens in the Liberia?”

The Liberian chief executive countered assertions of his one-term presidency from the opposition bloc on grounds that Liberians will not re-elect him because, under his leadership, many of them continue to strive and live in abject poverty.

“I President George M. Weah, I have a vision and a mission for Liberia and its people. My vision is to develop Liberia and create an enabling environment for my people during my presidency,” he said.

He added that his mission is to ensure that Liberians smile again and that he gives them the opportunity to have a share in the national cake, which they are already seeing the needed development cross country.

“I emigrated  from the slum community and as such, I understand what it takes to go to bed with on empty stomach. There are many who doubted my abilities to serve this great nation to produce the numerous deliverables since my ascendency,” he said.

President Weah, further  stated: “Those who have eyes to see, let them see, there are those who see reality, but they pretend as if they don’t see.”

In another Presidential news, President George M. Weah has warned traditional leaders in Liberia to desist from intimidating peaceful citizens with Country Devil in the various Counties.

The Liberian leader called on the  Traditional Council of Liberia headed Chief Zanzan Karwor to  advise  his chiefs to stop using the bush master(Country Devil) to intimidate citizens in the Country.

He told the  traditional heads that they, as chiefs are responsible to keep peace and harmony in the various Villages or Towns in Liberia, but when they are using the bush master to intimidate citizens, then is counterproductive.

“The Country Devil should not be used to intimidate peaceful citizens. So let us work together to develop and better Liberia, adding, intimidating peaceful citizens with the bush master is not a good thing for us as a nation,” he added.

Recently, Country devil blocked the St. Paul River connecting Bong and Lofa Counties preventing the normal movement of travelers and citizens to call government attention to the under-representation of the county at the National Legislature should they term as government failure to certificate their senator elect J. Brownie Samukai.

The ‘devil’ vowed not to allow anyone enter nor leave the County until their senator elect is certificated.

Moreover, the traditional Grand or Country ‘devil’ in Lofa County gave the Government 30-days grace period to certificate Senator Elect Brownie Samukai or face unspecified actions.

Additionally,  messages of the Bush Master (Country Devil) reportedly beat a pregnant woman and a resident of Garmue Town in Panta, District #4, Bong County.

The men reportedly melted the violence against Madam Urgent Paye on December 4, 2021, after they “broke into their home” demanding that her husband Abraham Kolliegboe who is not a member of the poro society be turned over to them.

Madam Paye told our Bong County Correspondent that the men were carrying weapons such as knives, cutlasses and other harmful materials while carrying on the action.

“The men broke into our home, damaged our house, beat on me and took away my husband” she explained.

Madam Paye narrated that up to present she has not seen her husband and that the action of the men has brought untold suffering to her.

She indicated that medical report (ultrasound) from the CB Dumbar Maternity Hospital revealed that she is carrying twins and the babies are mispositioned due to the maltreatment she received from the men.

New Republic Liberia

Alphonso Toweh

Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets  including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and  did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters 
 He holds first  MA with honors in International  Relations and a  candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict  Resolution from the University of Liberia.