By E. Geedahgar Garsuah
MONROVIA: The leadership of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) in Montserrado County Electoral District 2 has endorsed the reelection bid of incumbent Representative Jimmy W. Smith at the pending October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections.
The move appears to be in defiant of the mandate of the ruling party that all partisans must support winners of the CDC just-ended primaries held in the 17 electoral districts across Montserrado County.
The CDC’s District 2 leadership’s support to Representative Smith’s second term bid for the district seat comes just two days after the District 2 leadership of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), the Liberian People’s Democratic Party (LPDP) and the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE) endorsed his independent candidacy.
In a statement of endorsement, the CDC’s District 2 leadership made know its commitment to incumbent Representative Smith’s reelection quest against Mr. Kokulos Borvor, who is the party preferred choice for the district seat, owing to the results of the CDC July 2, 2023 primary in the district.
On Saturday August 12, 2023 District 2 political office was a scene of massive jubilations as scores of partisans, supporters and well-wishers gathered to give their approval to the reelection quest of Representative Smith.
The crowd of jubilant CDCians, under the banner “District 2 CDCians in Support of Representative Jimmy W. Smith Reelection” was led by the district leadership’s Spokesperson, Mr. Patrick J. Boakai.
“We are as happy today as CDCians of District 2 to be here and not to be ungrateful by doing what others are doing. We are here to tell Honorable Smith that his workings in this district can never be forgotten. Even if other CDCians forget about you, we CDCians of District 2 will never forget about what you are doing and what you continue to do for this district. And we think there is no one that can do what you are doing,” an excerpt of the endorsement statement asserted.
Fully attired in their party campaign regalia, the large group of CDCians chanting slogans such as “We na want strangers, dah Jimmy we know; ‘No more vote one, vote all.”
Announcing the declaration of support, the “District 2 CDCians in Support of Representative Jimmy W. Smith Reelection” spokesperson pointed out that their decision to support the lawmaker’s reelection bid for the district seat is based on the numerous development initiatives residents of the district have benefitted from due to his effectiveness in exercising his three cardinal responsibilities as a lawmaker, which include lawmaking, representation and oversight.
According to the statement of support signed by CDC 17 Zonal Heads, Representative Smith is the only capable person who will seek the general welfare of the district, as evidenced by his developmental and people centered leadership provided over the years.
Signatories to the resolution include Patrick J. Boakai; John M. Miller; Sampson Towalid; Samuel S. Sambloah; Dorris Y. Jackson; Martin J. Browne; Zacchaeus S. John; J. Alexander Gboeah; Wongbay Smith; Marie Borbor; Erayor Taryor and Ophelia K. Foday.
According to the CDCians, while they remind committed to the process of ensuring the CDC led government, under President George Manneh Weah, be reelected in the October polls, similar efforts will be applied to ensure Representative Smith retains his seat at the Legislature for the overall good of District 2.
The CDCians indicated that to ignore the many infrastructure developments, human resources capacity building initiatives coupled with the human centered cordiality the district has benefitted from under the leadership of Representative Smith will be foolhardy and will work against the district’s best interest.
The group named the construction of an up-to-date District Office, the provision of over 500 hundred scholarships for youths, the construction of the Jacob Town General Market and several others mini markets across the district and the construction of several bridges to link communities in the district as some of the many reasons for their support to the lawmaker.
They also mentioned the construction of an annex to the Johnsonville Public School and Youth Center in Jacob Town.
They referenced Representative Smith’s lobbying effort for the electrification of Johnsonville Township and Peace Island Community as dividends of the visionary leadership of the lawmaker.
The donation of 14 million Liberian dollars grant to women empowerment initiative, 1.7 million Liberian dollars to help the district fight against the Corona virus and the annual rehabilitation of feeder roads, coupled with the rehabilitation of the Jacob Town Sport Pitch and the establishment of the WARDS systems are reasons for his endorsement.
For his part, accepting the endorsement, Representative Smith thanked the CDC District 2 leadership for not allowing the party to control the thoughts of partisans in the exercise of their right to freedom of choice.
“Thank God that we Liberians are free people. No Liberian has partial freedom, it means that no other human being owes you, no other human being should tell you this and you must be forced to do it,” Representative Smith said.
He cautioned the CDCians to stay strong and watch their backs as those he referred to as elements who are attempting to undermine the district’s leadership quest will come after them.
He warned that such people will come after the good people in the district for not standing by the party’s choice from what he calls stage-managed primary election.
Representative Smith urged the CDC District 2 leadership to stand strong because people who want to undermine the district’s leadership will come after every one of them but at the same time encouraged them to not be afraid for standing up for truth.
As it stands, Representative Smith, who was a CDCian on the party’s ticket at the 54th National Legislature until the controversial July 2, 2023 District 2 primary which he alleged was fraudulent is seeking reelection as an independent candidate.
The District 2 incumbent lawmaking is seeking reelection at a time when new political players are added to the list including former Representative Sekou Konneh who is backed in the district’s political race on the Unity Party (UP) ticket.
While opinion polls put Representative Smith slightly above his opponents, there are glaring indications that with the political activeness of Bishop Nimely Doyen and Sekou Kanneh come back on the political stage, the race for the District 2 seat is far from prediction.
