Presidential Candidate Disappears
-As Disgruntled Partisans Loot Head Office
Forum
Monrovia, Liberia
Distributed by
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
Information gathered by this paper at the party’s headquarters in Sinkor yesterday has indicated that Rev. Zoe left the country on Sunday without the knowledge of the party hierarchy. The standard bearer’s move reports said, resulted to the looting of the LEAD headquarters by the aggrieved partisans on Monday morning.
The unwholesome act erupted after the chairlady of LEAD name withheld was said to have taken away some of the office equipment or materials away when she sensed the mysterious departure of their fist partisan.
Rev. Zoe’s unceremonious departure stemmed from his denial by NEC during the screening process of aspirants on last Saturday. According to sources close to LEAD, he was rejected because he did not register during the voter registration period in June as he was abroad at the time.
LEAD recently formed an alliance with LINU but Rev. Zoe failed to emerge as a standard-bearer in the Alliance primaries. He then attempted to make a political u-turn with LEAD but was rejected. This, according to reports, apparently frustrated him to have clandestinely departed the country.
When contacted, LEAD’s Chairman Benedict Matadi conformed the story but defended his boss on grounds that he will be back, though the offices were closed and members of the party could be seen loitering around the party premises having discussions in separate groups. A staunch partisan of LEAD, Benedict Bartuah, for his part said that the detractors in their midst betrayed the party when they were designated to work out modalities for the formation of an alliance with Liberia National Union (LINU).
He said members of his party were informed that LINU was to join them and as such, LEAD’s structural arrangement was not to be tampered with, meaning that Zoe was to have gone as standard-bearer of the alliance.
With present prevailing situation, political analysts remain doubtful whether LEAD will survive as the main financier Rev. Zoe has left the country. Investigation continues; writes Buxton A. Davies.
