By Mark N. Mengonfia
The name Edward Wade Appleton became very popular when the National Elections Commission began the announcement of preliminary results of the October 10, 2023 elections.
His name started surfacing with more votes as compared to well-known politicians like Alexander Cummings of Alternative National Congress ( ANC), Lusinne Kamara of All Liberian Coalition Party (ALCOP),, and Tiawan Gongloe, among others.
Addressing a news conference at the GDM headquarters in Congo Town yesterday, Mr. Appleton said, “They say I am a Ghost but I’m not.” According to the unknown politician, he has been working on his political career for over a decade and was not into crowd politics but rather, engaging the grassroots.
He said while the supposedly big parties were looking for crowds and filling stadiums, his party was focused in rural Liberia talking to people one on one adding, “We were talking and delivering our messages, which fell on good grounds. We campaigned the Jehovah’s Witness style and although we are not in the top two (2) spot, we are in the position to play a key rolein the upcoming runoff elections.”
The name Edward W. Appleton was not as popular prior to the elections something that makes others to think that he was planted to disrupt electoral process. But responding to the criticism, Mr. Appleton said, “They say our party was setup to disrupt the electoral process. That is not true.”
The just ended elections has made Mr. Appleton one of the big fishes in the Liberian political space to the point that other politicians have started negotiating with him for the second round election between Mr. George M. Weah of CDC and Amb. Joseph N. Boakai of UP.
Appleton was seen on Facebook in photographs with Deputy Speaker J. Fonati Kofa of the CDC and also with Amb. Joseph Boakai. Till date, the GDM political leader said they have not reached any decision as who to support in the runoff election. “They say we have endorsed a candidate but that’s not true,” he said.
He added, “Grassroots Development Movement (GDM) and I the Standard-bearer, Edward Wade Appleton, Jr. along with my Vice Standard-bearer, Alex C. Gontee and all of our officers andmembers commit that we stand for peace, justice, good governance, human rights and the socio-economic development of the Liberian people.”
He lauded Liberians who voted overwhelmingly for his party stating, “We hear you and we thank you; it’s because of you our future as Liberians is bright.”
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