Last Chance, Last Hope! - Many Prefer Ellen
Forum
Monrovia, Liberia
Distributed by
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
Sample views of Liberians in many quarters have become unanimous that Mrs. Sirleaf is the beacon of hope and restoration of peace and unity to war ravaged Liberia, despite negative propaganda being propagated by a handful of her opponents.
Reports pouring into the offices of The FORUM have also signaled positive postures for Mrs. Sirleaf’s preferment especially from Nimba, Bong and other counties following the official announcement by National Elections Commission(NEC) concerning the 8 November 2005 run-off election between Unity Party and Congress for Democratic Change
From the Liberian sporting community, former Lone Star defender, Dionysius Sebwe who appeared on Peace FM 96.1 Radio in Virginia over the weekend said “God has given Liberians another chance to elect Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for the presidency.”
Mr. Sebwe’s analysis drew into sharp focus the failure of George
Weah of the CDC at the first poll despite the euphoria to win outright as
a manifestation of God’s guidance upon Liberians to vote into state
power a credible person like Madam Sirleaf to redeem the country from decadence
of mal-administration.
Liberians in the diaspora, especially the United States he noted, have shown
their support to the Unity Party flag bearer to serve Liberia as the next
postwar president.
Mr. Sebwe said that some Liberians in Minnesota, the USA, are saying that if their people back home make any mistake in this election they would automatically stop remitting money back home, adding, “ foreigners who have keen interest in Liberia continue to tell me that they are sad with what is happening in Liberia.”
Dr. Amos C. Sawyer, a political scientist and former Interim President of Liberia, said the country at such a critical period deserves competent leader who the international community will confide in for the reconstruction of the nation.
Dr. Sawyer sees Mr. Weah as an inexperienced person to handle the longstanding multiple problems including security, social and economic intricacies which had plagued the country and its people over the decades.
A critic of the Charles Taylor regime, Jackson Pearson in his view said that “ the fact that ex-generals of the defunct NPFL have declared support for Madam Sirleaf means that bye gone must be bye gone so that Liberians can elect a responsible leader for genuine peace.”
For many Liberians who are sincerely yearning for sanity, propagating Congo-native sentiment as a political weapon to seek public favor for the presidency must not be encouraged because it has the propensity to promote divisiveness among the populace.
At the same time, Citizens of Boe-quella in Tappita Statutory District, Nimba County are said to be massively preparing an all out campaign for Unity Party Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for ill November 8 run-off election.
The citizens told THE FORUM in the district over the weekend that they have all reasons to believe that Mrs. Sirleaf is the appropriate candidate now for the Liberian presidency.
They recounted Madam Sirleaf’s enormous political struggle to lay a foundation for good governance, rule of law and other reforms necessary in Liberia even before the civil war.
They also said Mrs. Sirleaf’s preferment owes to her construction of a five bedroom local maternity clinic in the town of Lorplay prior to the 1997 elections which is believed to be catering to inhabitants of more than twenty towns and villages in the district. “The clinic’s staff are on Mrs. Sirleaf personal payroll,” a citizen told our reporter.
In order to beef up their support for the UP flag bearer, a senior citizen
of the district who returned from the United States in recent time, Sam
Freeman has reportedly vowed to provide two vehicles to transport eligible
voters who registered in the district to cast their vote in favor of Madam
Sirleaf at the run-off.
According to Mr. Freeman, he has prepared himself to ensure that Madam Sirleaf’s
campaign for the run-off succeeds. He disclosed that many opinion leaders
of the county were now being sensitized to make their political u-turn in
favor of Madam Sirleaf aimed at getting Liberia back on a footing of sanity.
Moreover, the political matrimony between Cllr. Winston Tubman and his running
mate Jeremiah Sulunteh of the National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL)
has finally broken in the wake of the November 8 run-off election.
The separation was made public one day following Cllr. Tubman’s formal declaration of support to the Congress for Democratic change of George Weah for the pending election.
Releasing his position statement over the week at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor, Mr. Sulunteh said, “I am pleased to announce here today my support for the candidacy of Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of the Unity Party.”
He described the forthcoming election as “the soul of Liberia,” which he maintained is not ethnic, educated, uneducated grassroots, elite, male or female.
The NDPL Vice standard bearer said the soul of Liberia is simply Liberian and it must center on our Liberianism first and foremost instead of being pulled toward or against one side or the other.”
The vice flag bearer of the defeated NDPL stressed that Liberia must be saved from what he called “the politics of extremism,” indicating that it is time for a national leadership that must effectively balance Liberians’ political differences, bring them together, reconcile them and bring about development and opportunities to move the country forward in the interest of peace, stability, security and other elements of genuine democracy.
Mr. Sulunteh then offered his services to Mrs. Sirleaf’s campaign team and urged conscientious Liberians to also offer their support to the UP candidate.
On Tuesday, November 1 he disclosed that the people of Bong County would be addressed in Gbarnga City regarding Mrs. Sirleaf’s presidency.
