What the Senate Number Says in Montserrado?

Montserrado is one of the largest counties in Liberia where there is a surge of a power struggle between candidates and for over 20 years, two parties have dominated the scene.

118 candidates contested the 2020 special Senatorial election, of which ten candidates contested in Montserrado; 4 Females out of 20 and 6 male candidates out of 98 to represent Montserrado 1,118,241 citizens.

According to the National Elections Commission (NEC) website, five independent candidates of 44 and five from political parties of 74.

The candidates include Bernard DJ-blue Benson Jr. (M) independent candidate (IND), Abraham Darius Dillon (M) collaborating political parties (CPP).

Phil Tarpeh Dixon (M) independent candidate (IND), Thomas Pangar Fallah (m) coalition for democratic change (CDC),

Others are Evangeline Israel King (f) independent candidate (IND),  Sheikh al-Moustapha Kouyateh (M) independent candidate (IND), Siah Jarmie Tandanpolie (F) movement for progressive change (MPC),  Cecelia Siaway Teah (F) national Democratic Coalition (NDC), Isaac Vah Tukpah, Jr (M) independent candidate (IND),  and Jamima K.H Wolokolie. (F) movement for one Liberia (MOL).

To understand the dynamics of the elections The Stage Media crunched the data of previous elections held since 2005.

2005 the election brought forth unprecedented excitement and enthusiasm since it was a major election after the civil crises, the election saw a large number of candidates and parties registering. Twenty-one political parties registered, 219 candidates Contested 30 senate seats, 543 candidates contested 64 house seats and 22 individuals sought the Presidency.

Since the 2005 election was a return to democracy, we’ve witnessed “blistering battles” on who “held power” in the country; Montserrado has consequently had its fair share.

In 2005 county Joyce Musu Sumo of Coalition for Democratic Change then Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and Hannah Brent defeated Clemenceau Urey of Unity Party (UP).

Of 473,229 voters in Montserrado, Sumo had 86,008 resulting to 13.3% and Brent had 80,331 amounting to 12.4% while Urey had 70,137; 10.8%.

A difference of 15,871 of Sumo’s number and 10,194 of Brent’s.

2009 by-elections were held following the death of Brent that brought forth Geraldine Doe-Sheriff of CDC against defeated UP candidate Urey.

Doe-Sheriff won with 33,874 or 35.5 % of approximately 95,000 votes cast, while Urey placed second with 29.7 percent or 28,329 votes.

A difference of 5545 between Urey and Doe-Sheriff.

In 2011, the senatorial election brought forth Lewis Garseedah Brown, II., (Ind) who obtained 129,255, 29.22% and Geraldine M. Doe-Sheriff, (CDC) 233,038 52.68% of 470,396 votes cast.

A difference of 103,783 between Doe-Sheriff and Brown.

President George Weah contested the 2014 senatorial election after two defeats in 2005, 2011 Presidential elections. In 2011, he contested as Vice President.

In 2014 he (Weah) of (CDC) obtained 99,226 amounting to 78.0% of 130,616 votes cast while Robert Sirleaf, son of Ex-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf son obtained13,692, 10.8%.

The difference between 85,534 between Weah and Sirleaf.

In 2018 the by-election, Montserrado Senatorial race, Saah Hardy Joseph of the CDC obtained 37,141 that amount to 55.2% while his closest opponent, Bernard “DJ Blue” Benson, an independent candidate, received 14074 that amounts to 20.9%.

The difference of 23,067 between Benson and Joseph in 2018 an election that was held after the death of Doe-Sheriff.

Now, Montserrado Senator-elect, Abraham Darius Dillon was previously elected in 2019 securing a total of 102,549 votes representing 55.74 % while Paulita Wie of CDC obtained 63,971 votes representing 34.77 %, a difference of 38,578 between the candidates.

December 8, 2020, was a show of strength between the two parties, CDC and The Coalition of Political Parties (CPP) that comprise of Liberty Party, Unity Party, Alternative National Congress and the All Liberian Party (ALP).

The CDC unveiled Thomas Fallah while Dillon represented the CPP.

The number shows that Dillon obtained 206,368 that amounts to 61.3% while Fallah obtained 120,405 that amounts to 35.76%.

From the above statistics, the opposition has always won Montserrado County. But it is a fact that in the 2020 special senatorial election, Dillon surpassed the votes accumulated by President Weah in the 2014 senatorial elections.

The highest difference is in 2011  when the deceased Senator Doe- Sheriff contested against Urey.

See the table below