Watson and Flemister Concede Defeat in ULAA Elections

The two unsuccessful Presidential Candidates in the recent General Elections of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), Inc., Messers. Arthur K. Watson and Ijoma R. Flemister issued public statements to their supporters this week conceding defeat, and pledging to work with the new ULAA Administration of Mr. Mohammed Kromah.

Watson was a runner up in the ULAA General Elections, held August 10 during the ULAA 28th General Conference in Columbus, Ohio, with 53 electoral votes, while Flemister came a distant third with 17 electoral votes, according to results of the elections issued by Abraham G. Massaley, Chairman of the 2002 ULAA National Elections Commission. Watson Camp Candidates for ULAA Treasurer, Hawa Kpakah, and ULAA National Secretary General, Wilmot Kunney won their respective positions under the unique open candidate structure of the ULAA Elections.

In his statement, Arthur Watson said “As you all know the official result of the ULAA elections by now, I have personally met with Mr. Mohamed Kromah and Ms. Roberta Rashid to congratulate them on their success in winning the election for the positions of National President and National Executive Vice President respectively. I have also congratulated both Mr. Wilmot Kunney and Ms. Hawa Kpakah, two individuals from our team, on their elections to the positions of National Executive Secretary and National Treasurer respectively”.

“In congratulating these new leaders of our Union, I offered the full support and commitment of myself and the other members of my team to working with their administration for the success and good of all Liberians and ULAA”, Watson said, adding “The process was relatively free and fair and our team accepts the result of the elections. Simply put, we did not win the top two spots in the elections because our supporters did not make it to Ohio. …”

For his part, Ijoma Flemister said, “On behalf of the Flemister/Kemah slate put for election before the just concluded 28th ULAA General Conference, I wish to once more affirm our congratulations to our big brother Mr. Mohamed Kromah and sister Ms. Roberta Rashid for our choice of them as President and Vice President, respectively, of our Union. We also again affirm our congratulations to Mr. Wilmot Kunney and Ms. Hawa Kpakah for our choice of them as Secretary and Treasurer, respectively, of our Union”.

“Personally, for me the General Conference was a celebration of the excellent quality of the Liberian spirit we all exhibited. I salute us all, and I thank all of us - from the deepest part of my heart - that we met and deliberated on our common needs with genuine faith in ourselves. I truly believe that we concluded the 28th General Conference under the call to ". DO MORE!"

“I wish to especially express my thanks to Mr. Watson and Mr. Kromah for the fine relations we have enjoyed throughout our contest for the Presidency of the Union. I look forward to continuing and deepening the common ground we discovered and developed amongst ourselves”, Flemister said.