Monrovia-Jan-11-TNR: With less than a week to hold elections for the speaker of the House of Representatives, the president-elect, Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai, held a meeting with UP and other lawmakers late Tuesday to seek support for their candidate, Rept. Richard N. Koon of Montserrado district number 11.
But the meeting which, the spokesperson for the party, Unity Party (UP), Mo Ali said was attended by 33 lawmakers sought to galvanize support for Koon. At the end of the meeting, some lawmakers who spoke to this paper on condition of anonymity alleged that the meeting was ‘fruitful’ and rewarding.
“The meeting was good. The president-elect encouraged us to vote for our candidate. Some cash was given but I cannot disclose this to you,” the lawmaker said.
However, one said, US$5k was given to each lawmaker with a promise of giving them an additional US5k on Friday and the balance 15 to be released on Monday, the day of the election.
Hon. Koon of the UP is going against the current deputy speaker, Jonathan Fonati Koffa of the Coalition for Democratic Change-CDC. There are 73 lawmakers in the lower house and 33 attended the meeting held on Tuesday.
Besides the promised cash, the president-elect urged them to work together as a team for the betterment of the country.
At the same time, Ambassador Joseph Nyumah Boakai has promised to grant more opportunities for those who will adhere to his will and vote for Representative Koon. He pointed out that to approve their hand-picked individual as Commissioner in their respective districts and other positions at county levels.
But the spokesman for the party, Mo Ali rejected the allegations. He told this paper via phone on Wednesday that such an allegation was untrue.
“If they were promised such money, then they are really lucky. That information is completely wrong. It is completely and absolutely wrong,” he said.
“The only thing that the Oldman asked them is to support his candidate because that is the candidate of the party. More besides that, he told them that we should work together as a team. It is not about me but about the country. To ensure that we succeed.”
Ali continued: “Where are we taking 25k from to give it. If that is the case, then those who are behind Fonati will come to us. We do not have money to give to anyone.”
The involvement of the President-elect is aimed at softening the grounds for his presidential operations further appearing to be a hypothesis of the organization of an imperial presidency.
