…As NEC Announces Results
At least two female candidates are challenging their male counterparts in the special senatorial elections held on December 8, 2020, across Liberia.
Of the 20 women competing against their 98 male counterparts in the special senatorial elections, Grand Bassa County’s incumbent Senator and female “political gladiator,” Nyonblee -Karnga-Lawrence, and Independent Candidate, Madam Botoe Kanneh of Gbarbolu County are leading their male counterparts.
Senator Nyonblee Karngar – Lawrence, also known widely as the “Face of Women in Liberian politics”, is on the path of retaining her seat in the Senate.
On the other hand, Botoe Kanneh of Gbarpolu County is on the verge of becoming the next Senator to replace incumbent Senator, Armah Zolu Jallah, of the People Unification Party (PUP), who is trailing in the race to retain his seat.
Early votes count by the National Elections Commission (NEC), places four candidates of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), in a stunning lead from four of the eight counties which results, have so far, been released.
Those in command of early tally counts by the National Election Commission from the opposition collaborating political parties (CPP) are Incumbent Senator Abraham Darius Dillion of Montserrado County; Deputy House Speaker, Prince Kermue Moye of Bong County, incumbent Grand Bassa County Senator Nyonblee Karnga -Lawrence and Simon Boima Taylor of Grand Cape Mount County.
Others in stunning lead are former House Speaker and current Head of the Liberia National Aviation Authority, James Emmanuel Nuquah, of the People Unification Party (PUP) from Margibi County; Koung Jeremiah Kpan of the MDR from Nimba County.
In Grand Bassa County, female gladiator and incumbent Senator, Nyonblee Karnga – Lawrence of the CPP leads the way as former Foreign Affairs Minister, Milton Gbehzohngar Findley, follows.
Senator Lawrence – accumulated 8,608 or 44.3%, while Milton Gbehzohngar Findley, the challenger is on 8,018 votes or 29.26%.
For Gbarpolu County, Botoe Kanneh leads by 37.1% from 922 ballots counted by the National Election Commission NEC, from 15 polling places.
For Montserrado County, Abraham Darius Dillon is ahead with 44,692 votes accumulating 60.8% ahead of his rival, Thomas Pangar Fallah of the ruling Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC), with 26,697 equivalent to 36.3 %. out of 73, 447 total valid votes counts, which is 100.0%.
According to the National Election Commission’s Chairperson, Daviestta Brown Lassana , vote counts are from 423 polling places, which is 21.33 out of 1983 polling places.
Other candidates in Montserrado County are below 5% votes counts.
For Nimba County, Rep. Jeremiah Koung of District # 1 and Senatorial hopeful of the MDR is in the lead with 3,361 votes counts or 38.5%, while his closer contender is CPP candidate, Edith Lianue Gongloe – Weh with 1,646 votes counts which is 18.9 %.
Incumbent Senator, Thomas Grupee of the Movement for Progressive Change (MPC) is in third with 1631 votes equivalent to 18.7 % out of 80 polling places.
In Maryland County, early Ballots count places ruling CDC candidate James P. Biney with 1,344 votes which is 36.3% while his close challenger is incumbent Senator, H. Dan Morias, with 1,178 or 31.8%.
Former House Speaker, James Emmanuel Nuquay is in the lead with 1,504 votes which is 52.0% while CDC candidate and current Representative of Margibi County District #2 Alvin Jones have recorded 1,099 votes counts or 38.0%, which are from 22 polling places.
For Grand Cape Mount, Simeon Boma Taylor, CPP candidate looks likely to flip the Grand Cape Mount Senate seat after accumulating a total of 1,333 votes tally which is 37.2% , his close rival is independent candidate, Fodee Kromah, who collected 696 votes or 19.4% after a total of 3, 588 valid votes counts which are from 30 polling places.
In Bong County, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative Prince Kermue Moye of the opposition CPP is in commanding lead with 1,678 ballots counts which is 52.6%, while his challenger is the lone female candidate in the race Dorothy Kwennah, independent, with 1,206 votes which is 37.8 % out of the total of 3, 192 valid votes from 23 polling places.
In a related development, Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillion of the opposition collaborating party CPP, has declared himself as winner of the Montserrado County Senatorial seat, ahead of his challenger, Thomas Fallah of the ruling coalition of Democratic Change (CDC), at a news conference.
Senator Dillion said as far as he concern, from tally of his locker room, he is the next Senator-elect of Montserrdo County and warned the NEC not to temper with the election results.
