Abu ‘Survives’

-As NEC Declares Him Winner; But Telia Says The Fight Continues

At long last, Abu Bana Kamara of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has survived the ‘election pressure’ from Telia Urey of the Collaborating Political Parties in the controversial Montserrado County electoral district number 15 elections.

Mr. Kamara and Ms. Urey were the two contenders in the just ended Montserrado County electoral district number 15 by-elections after coming neck-to-neck in the first round of the elections which was marked by controversies as the National Elections Commission commissioned a rerun in six precincts containing twenty centers in Logan Town.

Ms. Telia Urey after the first elections, complained of huge discrepancies in the final registration voting roll as discovered by her poll watchers and NEC workers on the day of voting.

She said the National Elections Commission could not identify the sources of result at the Samuel T. Koon School and Blamo Town in District number 15 after announcing that both precincts were part of the process.

Following the complaint, the National Elections Commission announced a rerun in those disputed areas in the district.

The rerun at the six polling precincts on Wednesday August 28, 2019 was decided by the National Elections Commission after Ms. Urey protested results from the first round of polls.

Mr. Kamara had earlier taken exception to NEC’s decision. His party, the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), also announced their dissatisfaction with the ruling and threatened to boycott the rerun.

But Kamara last week withdrew his challenge to the ruling and requested the Elections Commission to go ahead with the rerun.

Following the fiercely contested rerun which was led by several violent incidents, Mr. Abu Bana Kamara was announced winner of the elections with accumulated votes of 8678 or 49.2%; while Ms. Urey obtained 6868 votes or 38.9%.

The official announcement of the result was made by the Acting Chairman of the National Elections Commission, Jonathan Weedor.

However, Ms. Telia Urey following preliminary results from the election on Wednesday August 28, 2019 took to her official facebook page to congratulate presumptive winner, Mr. Abu Bana Kamara.

“Against so many odds and evil, we fought fiercely! Not for personal gains, but for a better district and a better Liberia. We may have lost this election, but we have won the confidence and trust of our people. Our fight will continue for the rest of our live,” she  wrote on her face book page ahead of the official announcement on Wednesday.

She continued: “to our supporters, we can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve put into this process. Our struggle for your lives to get better has just begun! You can always count on me to be there. I pray that the end of this election brings peace to the District! D-15, I love you.”

The by-elections came following the death of Representative Adolph Lawrence who died in a tragic car accident on the Roberts International Airport highway.