The National Election Commission (NEC) has concluded its preliminary nomination process for aspirants who are yet to be given a green light to contest the October 10, 2023, presidential and legislative elections.
As it stands, NEC has received nomination papers from a total of 1,030 persons to contest in October’s polls.
Of the total of 1,030, 20 are for the president, 100 for senators and 890 for Representatives. There are 15 seats in the Senate while the Representatives are 73.
The scramble for the positions gets heated day by day, with just 77 days until the October polls.
With the numbers contesting, everyone has automatically become humble to win the voters’ admiration. Some seeking re-election and aspiring started theirs as far back as 2020 or earlier than the above date.
The Stage Media has tracked candidates and their followers on social media.
This is Montserrado County District #6 representative Rev. Samuel Enders, who is seen eating at a local food center in his district.
He then posted on his Facebook page, “ A lawmaker beyond borders, Samuel Enders” On the post, he also said “#District6_secured” placing a lock symbol🔐 to mean that he can not be defeated.
Enders, in February this year, served as Traffic police in his district.
Sekou B. Korleh, who is contesting in Lofa County District #3 was pictured carrying firewood on his head as the crowd escorted him.
This, accordingly, is a tradition of the people of Lofa County to attract respect from uncles.
Part of the text that followed the post says, “A display of humbleness and respect.”
Another lawmaker who is seeking reelection is Representative Clarence Gahr who represents Margibi County District #5.
Gahr was seen on his knees at one point in time and seated in a circle of praying women who were wearing all white and blue.
A journalist in Margibi, Emmanuel Degleh posted just a line that says, “ The days are evil, only God we can depend on! 😄” and placed a laughing emoji.
Saah Joseph is one of the longest-serving lawmakers of Liberia.
He served as a two-time representative for District 13, Montserrado County; but was elected in 2019 as Senator of the County to replace now-President George Weah who was a sitting lawmaker when he contested as President in the 2017 elections.
Joseph’s nine years as a senator have ended and Saah is now seeking re-election for another nine years.
The lawmaker was seen toting a 50kg bag of rice on his head.
Bong County District Three lawmaker, Josiah Marvin Cole is a loud-mouth lawmaker who bragged of ordering the flogging of residents in his district.
Cole has been seen on camera exchanging insults with colleagues Hanzon Kiazolu and James Kolleh of the representatives.
However, out of a sudden Cole joined women in the kitchen to help with the cooking of food.
The lawmaker has served for one term, even though he contested the 2020 senatorial elections while serving as a representative.
He is now seeking reelection for six years in the October polls.
Cole wants o retain his seat, he now turned into one of the cooks of the day to win the minds of the women who were cooking for an occasion in the County.
This is Montserrado County district four lawmaker, Rustonlyn Suacoco Dennis.
In 2022, she embarked on a cleanup campaign in the district.
In her post where she displayed a few images of the cleanup campaign, she wrote,“ Remembered me!
This might be my last moment in time!”
It was at that time she claimed that operatives of the Weah-led government were after her life.
Nathaniel McGill former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs is aspiring to contest as Senator in Margibi.
McGill was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department on August 15, 2022, but his name has appeared on the National Election Commission provisional listing as the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
Two pictures popped up for McGill one with him eating fried fish and buying roasted cassava.
In November of 2021, former Liberian Vice President, Amb. Joseph Boakai was sitting in a chair covered with a white cloth in a church in Philadelphia, USA as a pastor offered prayers for good health for him.
It was his birth month when the news broke of his illness at the time he visited the US along with Henry Costa and other members of the ‘collapsed’ Collaborating Political Party (CPP).
Boakai served Liberia two times as Vice President to Liberia’s first female-elected president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
He contested in the 2017 presidential election to replace his former boss, Johnson-Sirleaf but was defeated by George Weah.
His opponents have said that he is sick and unable to lead Liberia with the prayer session, Boakia is on his feet and has promised to be strong to lead Liberia.
Liberian President, George M. Weah was captured buying Cassava when he toured Nimba County in 2022.
Weah is seeking re-election for the next six years. He replaced former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as president of Liberia after an election in 2017.
How these constituencies react to these so-called kind gestures will be unknown until the elections are over.
Again, a loser usually learns more from a loss than a winner does from a win. The constituency has the option of living up to this with humility or defying it imperiously.
